


Clint, the Slayer

by WelshJuliet



Series: Clint, the Slayer [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Hyena people, M/M, Multi, Poor all of them really, Praying Mantis Lady, Vampires, Will Add More Later, Witch Curses, Witches, more vampires because you know, poor steve, slightly OC, vampires bro, weird as fuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:27:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 38,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21512992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WelshJuliet/pseuds/WelshJuliet
Summary: It's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but MCU characters instead. Starring my personal favourite, Clint Barton.
Relationships: kinda Tony/Steve, pre James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton
Series: Clint, the Slayer [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1550536
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	1. Welcome to the Hellmouth

**Author's Note:**

> 'Where Hawkeye Went' is currently on hiatus. I apologize. My life has gone to shit in the past few months.  
> This only exists because I've been binging Buffy while working in my Nanowrimo project and schoolwork.
> 
> I hope you like it
> 
> Each episode will be a chapter

Clint wandered through the school’s hall. His car had broken down in the school’s parking lot. He felt like he stuck out like a sore thumb, but no one at least commented on it aloud. He furrowed his brow and hid his hands in his pockets, trying to get to a phone. Maybe the library had a phone he could use. 

“Mr. Barton, there you are. I have been waiting for you for the past thirty minutes.” 

Clint spun around and looked at some guy in a suit and glasses staring at him. “What?” 

“Every new student is supposed to get here early for a quick talk and to make sure they know where everything is and that they have everything.” 

Clint nodded, still having no idea what was happening. “I’m sorry, sir.” He followed the man down the hallway and into an office with Principal H. Hogan. Hogan sat down behind the desk and Clint sat across from him. 

Hogan started typing something on the computer while Clint looked around, trying to figure out what was happening. 

“Everything is in order; good grades but room for improvements.” 

Clint blinked, what? 

“Now, your first class began ten minutes ago, but that’s okay. You’ll need to go to the library sometime today to get your books. Your teachers have sent a list of them to the librarian. Now, have fun at your first class.”

Hogan handed Clint a schedule and a map of the school. He then shooed Clint away, and Clint grabbed his bag and then left. 

Once he was in the hallway, “What the fuck?” He looked at the schedule; it was a normal 10th grade schedule - English, PE, Government, Biology, Algebra II, ASL II, and Art History. Art History, what the hell? 

He made it to room 319 and walked in. “Ah, welcome Mr. Barton. Have a seat.” The only vacant chair was next to the window in the middle row of desks. Not the worst seat he could have.

He sat down and suffered through class, not taking any notes because he didn’t have any notebooks. All he had in his bag was half a sandwich that he stole from some gas station a few miles out of town, a few pens, and then a bunch of stakes, crosses, some holy water, and two arrows.

Finally, class was over and he practically ran out. Before he could make it to the door, someone grabbed his arm. He was about to throw them into a locker when the person started to talk and talk.

“So, you’re the new kid. I’m Tony, and we’re gonna be best friends. So I checked, and we have Biology and PE together, and we have the same lunch period. Which is great; I can let you meet Tasha and Steve.” 

“What?” Clint blinks at him.

“I’m Tony. You are New Kid.”

“Clint.” 

“You are New Kid Clint. We have classes together, and we’re gonna be friends.”

“Why?” Clint asked, as they turned the corner to another hallway.

“Because, Clint, I like you. You seem . . . interesting.” 

Clint nodded as Tony pulled Clint into a lab-like room and into a seat next to him. 

“Where you’d come from?” Tony asked, pulling out a notebook.

“You didn’t read that in my file?” Clint leaned against the lab bench, arching an eyebrow.

“Oddly enough, that wasn’t in your file. But I mean, you’re a B student with some disciplinary issues. But that’s what makes you cool.” Tony smiled at him.

Clint nodded and leaned down on the bench, his head cradled in his arms. He yawned and heard Tony chuckle. Clint looked at him, glaring out of the corner of his eyes.

“Coffee?” Tony asked, handing him a container.

Clint nodded quickly, grabbing the travel mug out of Tony’s hand. He unscrewed the top and downed it before grimacing. “Oh god, what is this?”

“Coffee.” Tony blinked at him.

“This isn’t coffee. This is shit.” 

Tony rolled his eyes. “Uncultured.” 

{----------}

Clint sat in the back during Government and then skipped Art History altogether. He went to the library instead. He poked his head into it to see no one around. He closed the door behind himself and then walked to the desk. Just as he reached over the desk, looking for the phone, he heard someone behind him.

“You must be Clint.” 

He spun around, pencil in his hand. In front of him, a man slightly shorter than him and slightly balding stood. He had a large pile of books in his arm. “What?” Clint dropped the pencil, the man watching it fall and hit the counter. 

“You’re Clint Barton right?”

Clint nodded. “Yeah. What’s it to you?”

The man walked around the desk and set the stack of books down. He crouched down and pulled out a large leatherbound book. It was brown with gold trim and locks on it, with the word ‘Vampyr’ in gold cursive on it. Clint shook his head. “No.”

He arched an eyebrow, obviously not taking Clint’s answer. 

“You gotta be fucking kidding me.” 

“I’m not, Clint. I’m Phil Coulson, I’m your new Watcher.”

Clint sighed. “How’d you know I was going to be here? Like, I’m already enrolled and all.” 

“I have friends.” Coulson simply said. “I thought you’d be good in those classes. You’re smarter than you let people think.”

Clint shook his head. “You gotta be kidding me. I was only here because my car broke down.” He heard Coulson chuckle as he moved some books around. “Did you make my car breakdown? Is that a thing?” 

Coulson nodded. “I know some basic spells.”

“You mother-” Clint shook his head. “Why Sunnydale of all places?”

Coulson shrugged. “Something bad is happening here. We don’t have the specifics, but it’s bad and it’s big.”

Clint sighed and let his head fall onto the stack of books Coulson put in front of him. “Great.” 

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class at the moment? I think Art History.”

Clint shot up straight and said, “Fuck you. Art History? Why? Why didn’t you just put me in ‘watching paint dry’ class, or was that full?”

Coulson shook his head and sighed. “It’s good for you, makes you well rounded.”

“I like not being bored. That makes me well rounded.” 

Coulson shook his head again. “Well, tough.”

The bell rang, and Clint just sat down at a table in the library, pulling out his half eaten sandwich from earlier. Coulson looked at him.

“I don’t have money. I stole this from some gas station earlier today.” He took a bite and leaned back in the chair. “So, I thought Watchers were, like, English or something. That was my last one. She was English.” 

Coulson shrugged. “It just depends.” 

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Clint ate his sandwich as he flipped through the large ‘Vampyr’ book. Coulson was in and out of his office and to the desk. Coulson opened his mouth to ask something, and Clint just glared at him.

Just then, the door opened, and Tony walked in with a blond and redhead behind him. “There you are!”

“Umm. . . hi?” Clint then rolled his eyes. 

“I was gonna introduce you to these people during Gym, but class just got cancelled.”

Tony sat in a chair next to Clint while the other two people sat across from them. Clint looked at the two other people in the room and then at Tony. “What do you mean, class got cancelled?”

“Dead dude in the locker room.”

“What?” Clint asked. He looked at Coulson, who was looking back at him. 

“So, that’s Steve, and the deadly redhead is Natasha.” Tony continued on.

“Were there marks on the body?” 

“What?” Steve asked, causing Clint to look at him. 

“Were there marks on the body?” Clint repeated himself.

“I don’t know.” Steve made a face at Clint.

Clint grabbed his bag and stood. “I’ll see you later.” He stormed out of the library, four sets of eyes on him. 

Clint ran to the locker room, only to see police, along with EMTs and the entire locker room taped off. “There is nothing to see here.” Principal Hogan announced as he tried to shoo kids away from the room.

As Hogan helped the EMTs and the police, Clint snuck around them and slipped into the locker room. He walked past rows of lockers until he saw the dead body. He grabbed a pen and pushed the head of the body to the side. Two puncture wounds to the neck. 

Clint sighed and ran a hand over his face. “You gotta be kidding me. I’m done with California.” 

Clint walked back into the library to see just Coulson there. Tony, Steve, and Tasha had left. “It was a vampire. No need to worry about another one. There was no suck-fest.”

“Excuse me?” Coulson looked back at him and blinked.

“The dude in the locker room. He’s dead with a capital ‘D’.”

“Ah.” Coulson nodded before he walked to a closet that Clint hadn’t noticed before. He opened it, and Clint walked over, impressed at the amount of weaponry and books in it. “Did you bring everything you own here? Is your bed in the office?”

“Will you go hunting tonight?” Coulson asked, ignoring Clint’s taunt.

“Yeah.” Clint sighed before leaning against the archway. 

{----------}

Clint showered in the locker room after everyone went home and changed, and then grabbed a few stakes, a knife, and a cross. He heard people talk about SHIELD, some nightclub that let in all ages. They only ID’d you at the bar. 

He walked down the dimly lit streets, playing with a stake in his hands.

“Thought you’d be older.” 

Clint spun around and saw someone lurking in the shadows. He gripped the stake tighter, tensing up. “Excuse me?”

The man walked closer and into the light of the streetlamp. Clint gulped; he was cute. Mid-twenties with short brown hair and striking blue eyes. 

“You’re younger than I thought you’d be.” He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite.” 

“That doesn’t mean much.” Clint smirked at him.

The man nodded. “Understood.” He pulled something out of his jacket pocket and threw it at Clint.

Clint caught the small box. It was a jewelry box. He opened and inside was a silver cross necklace.

“Keep it close; you’ll need it.”

“For what?” Clint asked.

“The Harvest.”

Clint looked back at the necklace before he looked up. “Who are you?”

“A friend.” 

Clint shook his head and then looked up at the man. Blue Eyes was gone. The Harvest? What was he talking about? 

Clint frowned before he walked to SHIELD. 

“Clint!” 

Clint sighed and turned back to see Tony there, along with Steve and some other kid. He turned on a smile and walked over to them. “Hey. What are you doing here?” 

“Oh, you know, having fun.” Tony smiled. “I knew you’d turn up.” 

Clint nodded, “Awesome.” 

“I’m gonna grab something to drink. You want anything?” Tony asked.

“Water.” Steve said. 

“A coke,” Clint answered. 

Tony nodded and then walked off. Clint leaned against the high table and scanned the crowd. “I’m Dugan,” the other kid said. 

“Nice to meet you.” Clint smiled.

“Where did you come from?” Steve asked.

“Iowa.” Clint told him. “Just moved into town a couple days ago.” 

“Oh.” Steve nodded at him. He looked over at some girl with brown hair but then back at Clint. “What do you like to do?”

Clint shook his head, seeing Coulson upstairs. He inwardly sighed before he looked at Steve. “Dude, ask the girl out. You’re obviously pining away. I’ll give you some time alone to think.” Clint pushed himself upright and then went up the stairs, two steps at a time. 

“You totally don’t stick out like a sore thumb in your suit and tie.” He leaned back against the railing, looking over at Coulson. “Dude, you could have at least worn like jeans and got rid of the tie.”

Coulson rolled his eyes. “I thought you were going to go out to hunt tonight?” 

“And I am. Vampires like young stupid people. And where are the young stupid people? Here. So, here I am hunting. Though I met this weird friend of yours outside.”

“What friend?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t catch his name. All he told me was that The Harvest is coming. Ringing a bell?”

Coulson furrowed his brow. “The Harvest?”

“I don’t know. Ask your friend.” 

Coulson shook his head. “Do you sense a vampire in here?” 

Clint blinked, mouth slightly ajar, but then looked down at the crowd. “There.” He points down to a girl with blonde hair.

“How do you know?”

Clint just shrugged. “I don’t know. Just feels like it.” 

The blonde haired girl moved, and Clint paled. “Shit.” 

“What?” Coulson asked, looking down at the girl. “Isn’t that that Steve guy from earlier?”

“And he’s asking her out. I thought he was staring at some brunette girl. Fuck.” Clint turned and ran hurriedly down the stairs. When he got to the dance floor, Steve was walking out with the girl. 

Tony walked over to him, and Clint asked, “Have you seen Steve?”

Tony shrugged. “No, but I saw Dugan leave with someone, though.

“Fuck.” Clint swore as he pushed his way to the door and into the night air. 

He ran through the streets, looking for any sign of Steve. “Where the fuck did he go?”

“Where are we going?” Tony asked, out of breath.

Clint looked back. “No, go back to SHIELD or just go home. I’ll find Steve.” 

“Where are we going?” Clint heard Steve faintly. He looked to his right and saw a graveyard. “You gotta be kidding me.” He started to run again and heard Tony whine about running again. 

He dodged headstones while he heard Steve and what sounded like that other kid’s voice get louder.

He stopped outside of a crypt and shook his head. He hated crypts with a passion. He peeked in to see Steve holding Dugan, who was holding his own neck. Clint stormed in and tackled the girl. 

“Steve, get out of here!” 

Steve nodded and helped Dugan stand. 

Clint jumped onto his feet before throwing a kick at the other vampire, the one Dugan must have left with. Blows were traded between Clint and the two vampires, all while Steve led Dugan out. Finally, Clint got the upper hand and staked the guy Dugan left with. He turned to dust halfway through his fall. 

Clint looked back to see Tony, Dugan, and Steve staring at him in both horror and amazement. “Get out of here! Now!” Tony nodded as Clint turned back to face the girl with blonde hair. 

“Who are you?” Clint asked the girl.

“Who are you?” The girl asked back.

Before Clint could answer, a hand grabbed his back and threw him against one of the walls of the crypt. He coughed as the girl spoke. “He killed Yon.” 

Clint looked up to see another larger vampire there. The new vampire looked at the girl and said, “Go. I’ll take care of him.”

Clint got up and immediately threw a fist at the male. Before his fist could connect, the man grabbed his hand and pushed him back.

“I’m stronger than you.” 

“I don’t care. Shut up.” Clint breathed out. 

“You’ll make a nice present for The Harvest.” The male smiled. “When all the blood flows, Red Skull will walk again.” 

The male was getting the upper hand, and Clint was in pain. Finally, after a missed punch, Clint was pushed back and fell into an open coffin.

“Hell shall come to town.” The male said before he leaned over Clint, his hand reached out. 


	2. The Harvest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second half of Clint's first few days at Sunnydale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy the ending. 
> 
> Feel free to leave comments if you want to.

The male hand reached for Clint’s neck, but then he growled and hissed. Clint looked down to see the cross that the man had given to him had slipped out. Clint smiled before kicking the vampire in the face, which caused him to fall back. Clint jumped out of the coffin and then ran out of the crypt. 

A scream pierced the air, and Clint ran faster. Steve’s on the ground with the blonde above him. “Really?” Clint asked, annoyed, before he threw the woman back. “Can’t you get it through your thick skull not to mess with these people?”

The vampire stood and growled at him. 

“Oh shit, Tony.” Steve said. Clint looked back and saw Tony unconscious, along with Natasha there. Steve scrambled to his feet and ran to Tony. 

Clint turned around to see that the blonde vampire was gone. “Dammit!” 

“Where’s Dugan?” Tony asked.

Clint’s eyes widened and roamed around his surroundings. No one. “He’s gone.” 

“What were those things?” Steve asked.

Clint sighed, “Dugan.” 

Steve and Natasha helped Tony to his feet while Tony rubbed the back of his head. “Something hit me . . .hard.”

“I’m amazed your hurt.” Natasha commented.

“Where did you come from?” Clint stepped towards her.

“I was on my way to SHIELD when I saw you and Tony run out of there like your asses were on fire, and I followed you. Thank god I did.” Natasha told him.

Clint squinted at her and then looked at Tony and Steve. “Follow me. I know someone who can explain all this shit to you better than I can.” 

They all nodded. 

“Any of you have a car? Mine’s still dead in the school’s parking lot.” Clint asked.

“Mine’s down the road a bit.” Natasha said. 

{----------}

In the morning, Clint sat in a chair with an ice pack to his fist and a scowl on his face. Tony held an ice pack against the back of his skull as Natasha sat next to him. Steve paced the room though. 

Coulson walked into the library and saw the three of them. “Is everyone okay?”

“We’ll be fine.”

“Dugan’s missing!” Steve all but yelled.

Coulson nodded. “They saw?” He asked Clint.

Clint nodded. “Yeah. They saw vampires. Steve almost became dinner for one.” 

Coulson nodded and walked into his office. 

“I’m sorry but did you say, vampires?” Tony asked.

“He did, Mister Stark. The world is older than anyone thinks. It was not a garden when it started.” Coulson walked out then with the damn ‘Vampyr’ book. “It was hell, and demons walked the earth. In time, though, they lost their hold on the earth and made way for mortal animals. For human kind. Demons, and vampires, still walk the earth but are lesser creatures.” 

“Vampires?” Steve asked as he sat down in the chair next to Clint. 

“Yep. Vampires are a thing. Werewolves, ghosts, weird demons with antlers - all things.” Clint nodded before he visibly shook at that one.

Coulson made a face and then looked at the others. “As long as vampires are a thing in the world, there has been a slayer. One person in the world who can kill them. One slayer dies and another is called. Clint is the latest slayer in a very long line.” 

“Okay. How do we kill them?” Steve asked.

“I kill them. You, you stay here so you don’t die.” 

“But Dugan...”

“Is my responsibility. You three can get yourselves killed. I’m not having that on my conscience.”

Clint quickly filled Coulson in on what had happened. Coulson nodded at him. “This man, an offering to Red Skull?”

Clint shrug. “I don’t know. Sounds like a shitty comic book villain.”

“No idea where they took Dugan?”

“No. I looked around but didn’t see anything. Probably got clear and then . . .vroom.”

“They can fly?” Tony asked.

“They can drive.” Clint blinked at Tony.

Natasha shrugged. “Tony may be a genius, but he doesn’t ask like one.” 

“Tony’s a genius?” Clint asked as he pointed to Tony who was still holding an ice pack to the back of his head.

“Yes!”

“Wouldn’t think it.” Natasha muttered. “I didn’t hear a car though.”

Clint nodded. “Sewers.”

Coulson nodded. “Can we find a map of them?”

“There’s a lot though. Sunnydale has a lot of sewers.” Natasha told them. 

“I just need a sewer that’s close enough to the graveyard that a vampire can escape quickly and unnoticed.” Clint stood, cracking his back. 

Tony took out his phone and started typing away. 

“Oh look, the genius finally appears.” Natasha mocked.

Tony made a quick face at her before he looked back at his phone; he never stopped typing, though. “Here we go; it runs right below the graveyard. There’s an access point in front of the graveyard entrance.” 

“Can’t be the way though. I would have seen the girl climb down.”

“Did she double back?” Natasha asked.

“To the crypt? Possibly.” Clint shrugged. “Alright then. I’m gonna go. You three stay here with Coulson. I’ll bring Dugan back.” 

“But . . .”

“You can help me research this ‘Harvest’ thing. I’ve looked into it somewhat since you told me, but there’s still plenty to find.” Coulson directed at Steve. 

“Fine.” Steve sunk further into the chair while Clint grabbed a few more stakes. 

“Be careful.” Coulson told Clint as Clint left the library.

Before Clint went back to the graveyard, he stopped at his car and grabbed his bow and some arrows.

{----------}

Clint walked into the crypt and looked around. There, behind some fallen vines, was a locked gate to an electrical tunnel. Behind him, he heard a pebble move across the floor. “You got a key?” He turned around and saw Blue Eyes. 

“They don’t like me dropping in.” Blue Eyes shrugged. 

Clint arched an eyebrow. “Why not?” 

The man smiled. “They just don’t like me for some reason.”

Clint snorted. “No idea why at all?”

Blue Eyes shook his head. “Thought you’d find this sooner.”

Clint sighed. “Sorry to disappoint you again. I’m Clint, by the way. What’s your name?”

“Bucky.” 

“Bucky.” Clint tested the name out on his lips. “I like it.” 

“Don’t go down there.” Bucky warned.

“I don’t want to.” Clint turned and then kicked the door open. “But I have a friend I have to find.

“Tonight is the harvest. You have to be careful.” Bucky said.

Clint nodded. “I will be. Why don’t you help?”

Bucky sighed. “They’ll be expecting you.”

“That’s fine. I’m expecting them.” Clint held up his bow and wooden arrows. 

Bucky nodded back. “When you hit the tunnels, turn left like you’re going to the school. You’ll find them there.”

Clint smiled. “You gonna wish me luck?” But after a moment of silence, Clint started walking into the doorway. He was a few feet away when he heard Bucky whisper, “Good luck.”

{----------}

Clint had only turned left towards the school a few minutes ago when he heard footsteps behind him. He knocked an arrow back and turned around and aimed. 

Natasha was there, her hands up in the air, and she smiled. “Hey there.”

“I thought I told you to wait at the school.” 

“I’m not much of one for orders.”

Clint nodded. “Why are you here?”

“Steve was moping as he was helping Coulson. And Tony would not stop talking. Thought I could be of some help.” 

Clint nodded and pulled out a stake from his back pocket. He went to hand it to her, but she held her own stake up, along with a small cross. He sighed, “Just stay behind me. And tell me if anything appears behind us.” 

Natasha nodded and gripped her stake tight.

They turned a corner when they saw a foot. They ran to it and saw Dugan on the ground, slightly out of it. 

“Dugan?” Natasha asked as she bent down to check on him.

“I’m good, just a little out of it.” Clint helped Dugan to his feet. “They knew you were coming.” 

Clint nodded. “I know. Let’s get out of here before they can catch us.” 

They start back towards the entrance then. Shadows fall on the wall then. 

“Shit.” Clint muttered. 

“There’s another way out this way,” Natasha said, pulling the boys down the next tunnel they find. 

They run down the water pooled tunnel only to run into a dead end with a ladder to the surface, thankfully. Clint slammed the door shut behind them. “We gotta go up.” 

Natasha nodded and started to climb the ladder as pounding on the door began. 

“Get out, I’ll keep them off long enough.” 

“I have another idea,” Dugan muttered.

Clint looked back to see Dugan, with fangs. “Oh Dugan, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not. I feel so much stronger like this.” 

Clint turned so that his back was against the ladder. “Clint!”

Natasha dropped the cross she was holding and Clint caught it. He held it up to Dugan, who shrunk back with a hiss.

Clint sighed and then kicked Dugan back. He jumped onto the ladder and quickly followed Natasha out.

Natasha pushed the lid up and off before she scrambled out. Clint started to follow but a hand grabbed onto his ankle. “Tasha!” He screamed.

Natasha grabbed the cross in Clint’s hand and pressed it against the hand that was holding him hostage. A hiss could be heard and Clint slid forward onto the ground. Tasha ran and pushed the sewer grate back into place. 

“You called me Tasha?” 

Clint looked over at her. “What?”

“You called me Tasha.” 

“And? Never had a nickname before?” He squinted at her.

She shook her head. “No.”

“Okay then.” Clint heaved a breath. “Can we grab coffee on our way back?”

“You need caffeine after that?” 

“I always need caffeine.” Clint retorted, which caused Natasha to chuckle. 

{----------}

Clint walked into the library as he sipped from his large coffee Natasha had bought him. Natasha walked in after him, with her own thing of tea.

“Did you find Dugan?” Steve asked, coming down the stairs.

Clint shook his head. “We were too late, Steve. I’m sorry.”

Steve let out a frustrated sigh before he kicked the trash can. 

“Did you guys find anything?” Natasha asked as she rubbed Steve’s back.

“Red Skull’s a vamp.” Tony blurted out.

Clint looked at Tony, “Duh. Anything else?”

“The end of the world,” Coulson said as he walked into view, with a large, old book.

“Perfect.” Clint grimaced and then sat on the table near Steve. 

“He’s like a few millennia old. But about seventy years ago, a very old vampire came here. The Spanish that had settled here long before once called it ‘Boca Del Inferno’ aka the Hellmouth. It’s a supposed portal to some sort of demon world. Red Skull came here to open it but, instead, was trapped underground.” Tony told them.

“And the Harvest thing tonight is to release him?” Clint asked.

Coulson nodded. “Yes.” Coulson walked over to a transportable whiteboard and drew a three pointed star. “Whoever bears this symbol is called the Vessel. The Vessel drinks blood and gains power for Red Skull. Once Red Skull has enough power, he’ll be able to break free and walk freely.”

“So I dust anyone sporting that symbol?”

Coulson nodded. “Yes. But where would they go?”

“SHIELD.” Steve finally spoke again. “A whole bunch of young, tasty snacks in one spot. They’ll go to SHIELD.”

“We’ll have to go soon, it’ll be sundown in a bit.” Coulson told them.

Clint jumped to his feet. “Okay. But we gotta make one stop.”

“For what?” Tony asked, as he stood.

“Supplies.” 

{----------}

Two hours later, Clint pulled on the front door of SHIELD with Tony, Tasha, Steve, and even Coulson behind him. “Dammit, it’s locked. I remember seeing a back entrance last night.”

“You don’t think we’re too late?” Tony asked.

“Not gonna think that. Just watch the front.” Clint took off before anyone could say anything else. 

Clint ran around to the back of the building and then smiled. Twenty feet up was a large opening - the ventilation system. He jumped onto the dumpster and then jumped up to grab the grate of the vent. He pulled it down and then slid into the duct. He could hear screaming from inside. It was starting. Shit.

Clint crawled out of the vent upstairs and saw the man from the crypt last night on stage. He had just drained a girl. 

“Give me more!” He screamed “Tonight, he shall rise and hell with it. It will be glorious.” 

The blonde vampire from earlier appeared, holding some poor girl hostage. He recognized her as Sharon; Steve had mentioned her name earlier. The blonde vampire pushed Sharon to the stage. “Here’s one, Hodge.”

Clint sighed and jumped over the railing, knocking the vampire out. Everyone looked at him as Sharon scampered away. “I’m sorry, did I interrupt your evening? Silly me. I’m so sorry.” Clint chuckled at them. 

“You.” Hodge smiled. “I was hoping you’d come.” 

“Yeah, vessel kiddo?”

“I want your blood. Only your blood.” Hodge smirked.

Clint bobbed his head side to side, before he nodded. “Okay.” Clint leaped onto the stage and kicked Hodge in the face. Hodge stumbled back as the back door flew open and Tony stumbled in.

“Get everyone out, now!” Clint yelled as he pulled out a stake. 

Tony nodded as he started getting people to run his way.

Clint looked back at Hodge who had stood up. Clint charged him before kicking him in the groin. Clint grabbed a cymbal from the drum set and threw it back. It sliced the head off a vampire who quickly became dust.

A hand grabbed the back of Clint’s neck and squeezed. Clint watched as Steve faced off with Dugan. Clint gulped and then elbowed Hodge in the face, which caused Hodge’s grip to loosen.

Clint fell to the floor and then threw the microphone stand into the glass-like background for the stage. “Sun’s up.” Clint snarked.

Hodge spun around and hissed. As Clint jumped to his feet, he saw Tasha open the front door and people rush out. 

“What?” Hodge asked, as he hadn’t burned up yet.

“Dumbass.” Clint muttered. “It’s in nine hours.” Clint hurled a stake at Hodge, and it flew through Hodge’s hand.

Hodge froze and fell to dust. Clint turned around and saw the over vampires run out of SHIELD. 

“Did we win?” Tony asked as he bent down to catch his breath.

“For the most part.” Coulson said.

Steve nodded, sullen. Clint had saw Dugan get dusted by a flying piece of wood from a chair being broken. 

Clint jumped off of the stage and then headed for the door with everyone following him. They got into the alley, and everyone sighed. The night was over. 

“I wonder what will happen tomorrow. What will people say at school?” Steve asked.

Clint shrugged. “I don’t know. All I do know is that I need to find a place to stay now. It looks like I’m sticking around.”

“You don’t have a place?” Tony asked, his voice had gone up an octave. “Where did you sleep last night?”

“My car.” Clint shrugged.

“Nope. You can move into my house. I have plenty of room at my place. Dad’s in LA or New York all the time.”

Clint blinked. “Are you sure?” 

“Yes. Dude, come live with me!” Tony smiled.

“Okay.” Clint shrugged. “Can you help me get my car working again? Coulson killed it. He’s rude.” 

“Of course.”

“We know we haven’t heard the last from Red Skull.” Coulson reminded them and brought the mood down. 

“Yeah, I know.” Clint sighed. “Gonna get to deal with demons and vampires. Yay.” Clint mocked Coulson. “Can we put the whole demon evil shit off til tomorrow? I’m tired, and I have a place to move into, Coulson. And there better be a shit ton of actual coffee, not what you call coffee.”

“Hey!” Tony squawked.

Coulson shook his head. “The earth is doomed.” 


	3. Witch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang deals with a witch and Natasha is on the receiving end of a spell

Clint sat in the library and tapped a pencil rapidly against his textbook. He blew out a frustrated sigh and finally heard Coulson sigh in return.

“Must you do that here?” Coulson asked.

Clint nodded. “I’m bored. Can’t there be like a demon or something?” 

Coulson rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry that I can’t conjure up a demon to please you.” 

“You broke my car, yet you won’t let me have fun. Such a terrible watcher.” Clint looked right at Coulson.

The door to the library opened then, and Steve walked in. He slumped down into a chair and sighed. “What’s up?” 

“I’m bored.” Clint said.

Coulson sighed. “Don’t start that up again.”

Clint smiled, and Steve shook his head. “You’ve annoyed him already today?” 

Before Clint could answer Steve, Tony ran in. “You’ll never believe what I just saw, boys. It is amazing.”

“Natasha in a cheerleading outfit.” Clint stated.

Tony looked at Clint, squinted, and then looked behind him. Natasha stood there in a short skirt, leggings, and a loose long sleeve shirt, and she held pom poms in one hand. 

“What are you doing?” Clint asked her.

“Trying out for the cheerleading squad.” She threw her pom poms at Clint, who caught them without thinking. 

“Why?”

Natasha shrugged and sat next to Clint. “Why not?”

“Because that doesn’t seem like a ‘you’ thing.” 

“Try-outs are in fifteen. Come with me?” She asked.

Tony nodded eagerly, Steve nodded, and Clint shrugged. Everyone stood up and started to walk out the door. “Oh thank god,” they heard Coulson say from behind the desk.

Clint couldn’t help but cackle at that. 

They walked into the gym and saw a bunch of girls stretching and practicing. Tony watched one of the girls closely before looking back at the group. “You know, I’d think Clint would be a good cheerleader. There are male ones. And you can do all these moves without having to think, so why not?”

“No.” Clint shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. He shook his head, “No.” He repeated himself. 

“Hey Ava.” Steve called.

“Hey.” She said. “What are you doing here?”

“Cheering Natasha on,” Tony smiled. “I’m Tony. That’s Clint.”

Clint nodded and looked around the room. Someone coughed then and said, “Let’s start with Faith Patterson.” 

The group moved to the side of the room while hip-hop started to blast from some speakers. A girl with long hair pulled into a bun started to do some routine with flips. 

“Her mother pays for a trainer.” Ava scoffed.

“What?” Clint looked at her, confused and amazed all at once.

Ava nodded. “I just train with my mother.” 

They looked back at Faith and continued to watch her. Faith picked up her pom poms and started some routine. But as she started to shake them, smoke started to appear. Clint pulled off his jacket just as Faith’s hands burst into flames. Clint lunged and tackled the girl and quickly smothered the flames. 

{----------}

“Her hands caught on fire?” Coulson asked as he looked through the closet of books and weapons. 

Natasha nodded. “Yeah. Spontaneous combustion.”

“That’s not a vamp thing?” Tony asked.

Clint shook his head and Coulson said, “No. It’s something completely different. It’s rare and scientifically unexplainable. It’s happened a handful of times in the last few hundred years. A pile of ash is all that remained.”

“Maybe Faith has some weird human torch power?” Tony asked.

Coulson sat at the edge of the table. “Possibly. That is the fun of living over a hellmouth.” 

“So, we watch her and figure out her problem?” Clint asked.

Coulson nodded. “Do that. I trust you.”

{----------}

The next day, Clint sat at the top of the bleachers while Natasha and Ava were part of a group tryout. The music started, and Natasha was actually really good. Clint made a face but then nodded. Ava though, even after all of her practicing, still fumbled at the end. She landed wrong and tripped, falling onto some girl. 

After tryouts and Tasha had changed, the two of them were walking towards their classes. They stopped when they saw Ava staring at cheerleading trophies.

“You good, Ava?” Natasha asked.

Ava nodded. “Yeah. Just looking at my mom. She used to be called ‘Catherine the Great.’ She led them to championship two years running. She’s my hero.” Ava smiled sadly at the small cheerleader trophy. “I did so badly in there.” 

“Shit happens.” Clint said and then grunted when Natasha elbowed him in the ribs. 

“Don’t listen to him; he’s a boy. You were fine.” 

Ava nodded but then ran off. Clint looked down to see Natasha glaring at him. 

“You’re an idiot.” 

“Well, as you said, I’m a boy. And most boys are stupid. And Tony didn’t give me coffee this morning. He has this insane coffee machine and all he made was his shit so I haven’t had coffee and my brain don’t work.”

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Poor baby. I’ll get you coffee later. Get to class.”

Clint scrunched his face before he headed off to English with the terrible teacher. He semi-hoped that she was some demon so he could kill her. 

{----------}

Lunch time rolled around quickly, and Clint was met with a cup of coffee from Natasha. 

“Mmm, liquid gold.” 

“Hey Ava.” Natasha called out as Steve and Tony walked over.

Ava waved and walked over. “I think the tryout list is out.” She grimaced.

“No need to fear, I shall look for you.” Tony smiled and shoved his bag into Steve. Steve grunted as he took hold of it. Tony immediately ran into a crowd of girls and pushed past them all til he got to the bulletin board. 

“Think he’ll come back with a scratch or two?” Clint asked Steve.

“One can hope.” Steve retorted. “Here he comes.”

“Good news! Natasha is first alternative while Ava is third!”

Ava looked down and then scurried off. Tony pouted and then looked at his group of friends.

“Alternative, Tony. They’re the backups in case the actual ones get sick or something.” Steve explained to him.

“Ooh. Oops?” 

Natasha shook her head and then ran off after Ava. 

Clint shook his head at Tony. “You truly are an idiot.” 

Tony nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been told that.” 

“Good.” Steve said as he forced Tony’s bag into Tony’s stomach. “I’m gonna grab lunch. You two wanna come with?”

{----------}

The next day, Clint noticed that Sharon was acting odd. She was out of it and dazed, practically. Clint leaned against his locker and watched as Sharon tried to open some locker. Clint knew it wasn’t hers because he had seen a large guy with a mohawk open it multiple times in the past three weeks he had been here. 

“Hey.” Tony walked over. “Natasha told me you don’t like my coffee machine.”

“What?” Clint asked. He looked over and saw that Tony had a cup of coffee held out for him.

“My coffee machine, Natasha said you don’t like it. I’ll buy you one, just for you and your terrible coffee.”

“It’s not terrible. It’s natural.” Clint rolled his eyes. “Does Sharon seem okay to you?” 

Tony looked over and shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t really deal with her. And when she talks, I just kinda tune her out. She usually just talks about clothes and boys and shit.” 

Sharon stepped back and bumped into another kid.

Clint nodded and pushed away from his locker. “I’ll be right back, Tony.” 

“Dude!” Tony argued and ran after Clint. 

They stalked Sharon through the halls. They followed her outside and saw her head to Driver’s Ed. 

“What are you doing?” Tony asked.

Clint glared at Tony and then turned his attention back to Sharon, who got into the driver’s seat of the car.

The car reversed quickly before it grinded into drive. Sharon hit every orange cone on the track.

“Wow, she’s terrible.” Tony commented. 

Everyone got out of the car then and Sharon started to wander towards traffic. Clint started towards her, just in case.

Sharon was halfway in the street when she turned and screamed. A truck was headed towards her. Clint ran and tackled her out of the way. 

“Sharon?” 

“I can’t see.” She started to babble. “I can’t see.”

Clint looked down, and Sharon’s eyes were completely white. 

{----------}

“Witchcraft.” Coulson said as the gang sat around the table in the library. “It’s interesting.” 

“First vampires and now witches. How can anyone still afford a house in Sunnydale?” Steve asked as he looked between Coulson and Clint.

“Why would someone want to harm Sharon though?” Coulson asked.

“Other than the obvious?” Tony asked.

“Cheerleading.” Natasha ignored Tony’s comment.

“Faith was on the team and then Sharon made the team.” Clint said. He then looked up at Natasha. “You’re on the team now.” 

Natasha rolled her eyes as Coulson asked, “So someone doesn’t like cheerleaders?”

“Or, they like it too much.” Steve inputted.

Natasha and Clint looked back at each other. “Ava.” They said at the same time.

“Ava Starr?” Tony asked.

Clint nodded. “She said her mother was an amazing cheerleader back in the day here. She tried out but got third alternative.” 

“Before we go after her, let’s first make sure she is the witch.” Coulson butted in. “I think I have a spell somewhere in the closet for that.” He walked over, and Clint looked at Natasha.

“I want someone with you.” 

“I can take care of myself. I’m not a little girl.” 

Clint closed his eyes and sighed. “Fine. But the moment you feel off or anything, you come find one of us.” He nodded towards Tony and Steve.

“Fine.” Natasha nodded at him.

“Ah, here we go. You just need some hair of the witch, quicksilver, and aquafortis.”

“That’s just mercury and nitric acid. We can get that in Biology. And Ava’s in that class with us, bro.” Tony smiled. 

“We have mercury in the school? Isn’t that, like, dangerous?” Clint asked as he looked around at the other people in the room. They all had straight faces. “Never mind. It’s just me. Sorry about that.” Clint shook his head in disbelief. 

“Mix the three together over a heat source and then spill it on the witch. It’ll turn blue if the witch has casted a spell within the last forty-eight hours. Oh, and you’ll need eye of newt.”

“We can do it in study hall after class. Ava’s gonna be there.” Tony smiled. “I can’t wait. It’ll be so much fun.” 

Clint shook his head. “I’m worried about you, Tony. Have you ingested some of that mercury?”

Tony flipped Clint off before he grabbed his bag. “See ya soon, nerd.” 

{----------}

Clint stared at the frog in front of him. He frowned but quickly cut the eyes off before he dropped them into a beaker. Tony sat back down and smiled, “Got some hair.”

“I don’t want to know. Just put it in.” 

Toy dropped the hair in along with the rest of the ingredients. He stirred it over an open flame and then poured some into a small test tube. “Go test the witch.”

Clint rolled his eyes and stood. He started to walk up the middle aisle of the classroom before he faked a trip. The liquid in the test tube went flying and landed on Ava’s arm. It turned blue immediately. 

“Sorry Ava.” He said.

All of a sudden, someone screamed behind him. He spun around to see some girl with no mouth. It had vanished from her face. “Shit.” He muttered.

Tony and Clint grabbed their things and ran out as the EMTs came. “Ava was just as freaked as we were.” Tony said.

“But the liquid turned blue when it hit her.” Clint told him. “You saw it.”

“Maybe she doesn’t recognize what she’s doing?” Tony asked.

“Maybe. We need to check out her place. That’ll be helpful.” Clint furrowed as the two of them walked out of the school. 

{----------}

In the morning, Clint walked downstairs to see Natasha there, dressed in her cheerleading outfit. She hopped around as she danced to music that only played in her head.

“What are you doing?” Clint yawned. It was too early to be awake.

“Helping you boys eat an actual breakfast.” She smiled at him. She set down a purple mug of coffee, black just like Clint liked it. “I can make you some toast or eggs or pancakes?”

“Pancakes?” Tony asked as he walked in. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Natasha lean against Clint.

Clint shrugged as Natasha stood straight and she hummed. “Macho, macho man.” 

“Tasha, you feeling okay?” 

She nodded. “I am. Toast anyone?” She asked as the toast popped.

Tony drove the three to school and Natasha went to practice. “I’m gonna go with Natasha. Something’s up; I don’t like it.” 

Tony nodded. “Alright. Text if you need me or Steve.”

“I will.” 

Clint ran and caught up with Natasha, who was still humming a song. They entered the gym, and Natasha ran over to the other cheerleaders. Clint sat down on a bleacher and pulled out a book. 

They started to practice, and Natasha yelled for the music to go louder. They performed some trick, and Natasha stomped on the head cheerleader’s foot.

“What the hell is your problem, Romanoff?” She scowled.

Natasha grimaced, but Clint could tell she was still hyper and happy. Clint turned back to his book when the song started up again. A scream broke him out and he watched at Natasha threw the head cheerleader across the gym.

“You are so out, Romanoff.” She growled.

“But . . .” Natasha started. Clint grabbed his things and then ran to Natasha.

“Ava, you’re in.” The heard said. 

Ava, who stood in the corner, smiled. 

“She’s a witch!” Natasha screamed. Clint grabbed ahold of Natasha and pulled her out of the gym. 

“Sorry, she’s on some new medication.” Clint grimaced as the gym doors closed behind them. “C’mon, Natasha. We’re gonna get you to Coulson. He’ll help.” 

Natasha nodded but then collapsed. Clint caught her and then carried her to the library. “Coulson!” 

Steve stood quickly and knocked the chair over. Coulson came out of his office and Tony poked his head around a stack of books. Clint set Natasha on the table. “She was acting weird this morning, and then she just threw that head cheerleader across the gym. She passed out on the way here.” 

Coulson nodded. “A bloodstone vengeance spell. Nothing will help. Hits the body hard, eradicates the immune system.” 

Clint snapped his head up to look at Coulson. “How long does she have?”

“Four hours, at most.” Coulson said.

“How do we reverse it?” Tony asked.

“We have to get our hands on Ava’s spellbook.” 

“So, we search her house for it. I don’t care who’s there. I’m not letting Natasha die. She saved my life last week.” Clint said.

Coulson nodded. “Let’s go. Tony, Steve, keep your eyes on Ava. Make sure she doesn’t leave campus.” 

Tony and Steve nodded and then left for the gym. Clint helped Natasha to her feet, and she leaned against him. 

{----------}

Clint helped Natasha up to the front door as Coulson pounded on the door. It cracked open and Clint saw an older lady there, timid. 

“Mrs. Starr.”

“Who are you?” The lady asked.

“We need to talk to you about your daughter.” Coulson said.

“I’m not supposed to talk to anyone.” The lady shrunk back and started to close the door. Coulson stuck his foot between the door and the doorframe. Catherine gasped.

“I’m very sorry, but we have to talk.” Coulson said as he forced the door open.

Clint carried Natasha into the room. 

“That girl is very sick. And we know it has something to do with your daughter’s witchcraft and your obsessions with cheerleading.”

“I don’t care about cheerleading!” Catherine yelled.

Clint looked at Catherine and then around the place. “You’re Ava, aren’t you?” 

Catherine gulped and then nodded. 

“She switched bodies.”

“She said I was wasting my youth for not cheerleading. So she took it.” Ava said.

“Where does she keep her things?” Coulson asked.

Ava pointed towards the attic. “I’ll grab the book. You take Natasha back to the car. Ava, go with them. We’ll help you.” Coulson stated.

Clint nodded and carried Natasha, who looked weaker. Ava got the door for them. Upstairs, Clint heard something break and Coulson swear. A few minutes later, Coulson returned with dolls, a large book, and a few other things. “Clint, you’re driving. I need to look through this for both spells.” 

Clint nodded and caught the car keys. He looked back and saw Natasha lying in the back seat, her head in Ava’s lap. He started the car and drove back to the school.

Clint laid Natasha onto one of the lab desks in the biology room. He leaned down and smiled at her, “We’re gonna stop this.” He sighed and then look at Coulson, who was getting things ready. “I feel useless, Coulson. I’m not helping.” 

Coulson nodded. “I know. I need you to keep watch. Once I start the spell, Catherine will most likely know what we are doing. She’ll try to stop us.” 

“That’s where I come in. Okay.” 

Coulson and Ava started to get the ingredients ready for the spell. Clint paced the room and looked between his phone in his hand and at Tasha. “She’s getting weaker, Coulson. Hurry it up.” 

A few minutes later, his phone buzzed. It was a text from Steve; Catherine was on her way. “She’s coming, Coulson.” 

Coulson nodded, “The gate is closed. Receive the dark. Release the unworthy. Take of mine energy and be sated.” Coulson stuck his hands into whatever thing he created. 

The door attempted to open, but Clint had locked it. Clint picked up a scalpel, getting ready in case.

“Be sated. Release the unworthy. Release! Release! Release!” Coulson chanted. 

Catherine kicked the door open, and she produced an axe. But then she stumbled forward, heaved a breath, and looked around. “Clint?”

“Ava?” 

She nodded at him. Clint looked back and saw Natasha sitting up and then saw Catherine, back in her body, snarling. 

“You little bitch.” She lunged towards Ava and Natasha, but Clint pushed her out of the way. Catherine flew towards the other side of the room. “I gave birth to you and then you were useless. You just sat in a chair and watched TV. I’m gonna send you somewhere where you can’t make a mess anymore.”

“Grow up!” Clint snarled.

Catherine started to say something in Latin and then switched to English. “I shall look upon him and the dark place will have his soul. Corsheth, take him.” A light rushed towards Clint, and Clint held up a mirror. It bounced off the mirror and hit Catherine.

Catherine started to scream as a wind whirled around the room and a deep growl appeared. Clint blinked and then everything was back to normal; Catherine was gone. He looked over to see Natasha breathing heavily as she held Ava, who was shaken. He locked eyes with Coulson and Coulson nodded at him. 

Steve and Tony rushed into the room then and saw everything. Tony pointed towards Ava, “She evil?” 

“It was fixed. Don’t worry.” 

{----------}

Clint sat on the couch downstairs in Tony’s house. Natasha was curled up next to him, her eyes fixed on  _ Dog Cops _ . Clint had a cup of coffee in one hand while he scratched the back of his neck.

“You did what you could. This was slightly out of your expertise.” Natasha nudged him.

“I know. But still, I should be able to deal with witches and magic. We’ve only known each other for two weeks, but still.”

Natasha nodded. “You did your best. And I’m here. We’re good.”

“My favourite part is still you singing, ‘I wanna be a macho macho man.’ Ow!”

Natasha hit him again and chuckled. “Idiot.” 

{----------}

The next day, the four of them walked into school and saw Ava staring at her mother’s trophy. “Hey Ava.” Natasha smiled.

“Hey.”

“Everything okay with you now?” Clint asked.

Ava nodded. “Yeah. Dad’s being slightly overbearing, but it’s fine. Thanks for what you did.”

Clint nodded. “Of course. Any sign of her yet?”

Ava shook her head. “Nope. It’s like she’s completely vanished. I don’t think she’ll be making trouble.” 

“Good. Now, come on. I think I hear coffee and muffins calling our names.” Natasha said. She let go of Clint and then grabbed Ava’s hand. 

“That sounds good.” The two girls walked off with the boys straggling behind them. 


	4. Teacher's Pet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony has a crush on the teacher and it get's a little iffy.

Clint walked down and into the kitchen to see Tony tinkering with something. “What the fuck is that?” He walked past him and started his own personal coffee machine; it was a purple one that Tony had brought home just last night. 

“Molotov Cocktail bomb, for you.” 

“What? Don’t they need to be on fire before you throw them?”

“Ah, young padawan, with my genius ability, I have made molotov cocktails that the moment it hits oxygen will blow up and rain fire upon whoever you throw it at.”

Clint nodded as he pulled out a coffee mug. “Cool. Why?”

Tony shrugged as he put the bomb down. “I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“You know vampires need to be invited in.” 

“But witches don’t and whatever else is out there.” Tony pointedly glared at him.

Clint nodded as he poured himself coffee. He sat across the island from Tony. “I know you’re worried. But I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” 

Tony looked up. “Really?” 

Clint nodded. “Yeah. I promise.” 

“Okay.” Tony nodded and then sighed. 

{----------}

Clint tapped his pen as Dr. Singh went over whatever the hell they were going over. Clint didn’t get time to read the homework. 

“What are two ways that ants communicate. Mr. Barton?”

Clint gulped and looked up at Dr. Singh. Behind Singh was Tony and Steve. Tony hit Steve’s head, who immediately made a face.

“Touch.” Clint said. Dr. Singh nodded.

Then Tony started to smell Steve. 

Before Clint could answer, Singh nodded. “Mr. Stark, please stop telling Mr. Barton the answer. This is Biology, not charades.” Singh turned around, and Tony smiled while Steve shook his head. “Alright kids, chapters six through eight for tomorrow.”

Everyone started to pack up and leave. “Mr. Barton, a moment please.” 

Clint nodded and watched as Tony and Steve left. Clint walked to the front of the classroom as Singh looked through something on his computer. “Your last school record doesn’t say much. Just that you were an average student with average grades. Yet, you’ve already been here a month and you’ve caused some problems.”

Clint shrugged. “What teenager doesn’t cause problems?”

“Rumor has it that you’re living with Stark?”

“I am.”

Singh looked at Clint and then went on. “You’re emancipated?”

“I am.” Clint lied. He wasn’t, but he forged the paperwork.

“Clint, you have an amazing mind, I can see that. And you can think on your feet. Now, imagine what you could achieve if you put in the effort and did the . . .”

“Homework. I meant to read last night but. . .”

Singh nodded. “You probably have a good excuse, but honestly, I don’t care. I know you can excel in this class, and I expect no less. Understood?”

Clint nodded. “Yes.”

“Good. Now, go be smart and do the homework. Chapters six through eight.”

“Yes, sir. Thanks.”

Clint hiked his bag onto his shoulder and walked out of the classroom. Steve was around the corner, waiting for him to get out. “So?”

“He said I was smart but lacking motivation. And that if I don’t pass his class, he’ll be disappointed with me. It’s like when Coulson makes that face and you just feel all guilty. Actually, it’s like the face that you make and I feel guilty for no fucking reason.”

“I don’t make a face.” Steve said as he caught up with Clint.

“You make the face that says, ‘I’m disappointed in you’ and ‘You kicked my puppy.’ How the fuck do you do that?” 

{----------}

Clint sat at a high table with Steve and Natasha. He stirred the ice in his drink with a straw. He yawned, and Natasha rolled her eyes. 

“I’m sorry, are we boring you?”

“No. Didn’t get much sleep. Also, Tony made molotov cocktail bombs. I’m worried about him. Also, he’s chasing just about anything that breathes. Like, I’m kinda worried.”

“It’s his usual.” Natasha said.

“Steve, go over to him and give him the face.” 

Steve turned and glared at Clint. “I don’t have a face.”

“The ‘you kicked my puppy and I’m disappointed in you’ face?” Natasha asked.

“Yes!” Clint pointed at Tasha and then stared at Steve. “You do make a face; deal with it and accept it. Now, go make that face at Tony and get him back here.” 

“I don’t have to. He’s coming.” 

Tony wrapped an arm around Clint and said, “Work with me. Flash is questioning my manliness.” 

“You have manliness?” Natasha asked.

Clint rolled his eyes and stopped when he saw those blue eyes. “I don’t believe it.” Clint pushed Tony’s arm off of him and walked over to the door, under the stairs. 

“Look who’s here.” He smiled.

“Hi.” Bucky smiled back.

“I’d say it’s nice to meet you, but we both know that’s a lie.” 

“I won't be long.” Bucky did a quick scan of his surroundings.

“No, you’ll just give me a cryptic warning about some new catastrophe and then disappear into the night.”

“Are you cold?” Bucky asked.

Clint wore a short sleeve purple shirt. He shook his head, but he was a bit cold. “I’m okay. Nothing I can’t handle.” 

Bucky took his jacket off and handed it to Clint. Clint arched his eyebrow. “I’m bigger than you; it’ll fit you fine.” 

Clint took it and put it on. Perfect fit somehow. Clint looked at Bucky then and saw cuts on Bucky’s arm. “What happened?”

“Didn’t pay enough attention.”

“To someone with a big fork, pitchfork?” Clint laughed out a breath.

“He’s coming.” Bucky warned.

“The fork dude?” 

“Don’t let him corner you. He’ll rip your throat out.”

“And you want my throat in one piece?” 

Bucky sighed and shook his head. “I have to go.” 

“Well, sweet dreams to you too.” Clint walked back over to the gang and they all stared at him. “Don’t. What're we doing?” 

{----------}

“That’s all he said, 'Fork Dude'?”

“Yep. Fork Dude is a-coming. He’s a very cryptic dude.” Clint nodded at Coulson. 

“You have a lot ‘dudes’ in your life.”

Clint looked at Coulson and rolled his eyes. They stopped in front of Natasha, who sat on a bench with a textbook out in her lap. 

“I’ll see what I can do.” Coulson nodded at Natasha and then left.

Clint sat next to Natasha and made a face. “Is every day like this?”

“Bright? Sunny? However can we escape this torment?” She said with a straight face. 

“Shut up.” 

“Guess what I just heard in the office this fine, beautiful morning.” Tony announced his presence.

Steve shook his head. “Dr. Singh isn’t in today.” 

“Stole my moment.” Tony glared at Steve. “But anyways, for those of us who blew off our homework, it’s a good thing.” Tony flipped Natasha’s textbook closed. But made a face when it said history. “Oh, sorry.”

“Is he sick?” Clint asked.

“Nope, something about 'missing.'” 

“What?” Clint asked.

“Yeah. Cheerleaders were modeling their new skirts, but yeah, they said missing.” Tony nodded. “Which is bad, obviously, from the looks on your faces.” 

“If something’s wrong, yeah.” Natasha said. “He’s like the only teacher that likes Clint.”

“Oh. Well, I’m sure that he’ll . . . huh.” Tony started to say but then stopped. 

Natasha, Clint, and Steve looked back to see a teacher walk over in a short skirt and long dark blonde hair. She walked right up to them.

“Can you help me?”

“Yes!” Tony smiled.

“I’m looking for Biology 210.” 

“Umm. . .” Tony said. He seemed to have forgotten the English language. “I go there everyday.” The new teacher giggled at him. Tony looked at the others, “Where is it?”

“Hi. Flash Thompson. I’m going there right now. I can show you.” 

“Oh, thank you, Flash.”

Flash led the professor away then, and Tony frowned. 

“Oh, it’s funny how the Earth never opens up and swallows you when you really want it to. Yay.” Tony slumped and frowned again.

The other three nodded. “Sorry buddy.” Clint said.

Clint, Tony, and Steve got to Bio for second period and saw the teacher’s name on the board, Ms. Everhart. Clint stopped when he saw Singh’s glasses on the floor. “Huh.” He set them on the lab table and then sat down at his own seat.

“Welcome class. My name is Christine Everhart, and I’ll be substituting for Dr. Singh.” She introduced herself once the bell rang. 

“Do know when he’s coming back?” Clint asked.

“I don’t, Mr. Barton. They just call and tell me where to go.”

Flash muttered something, and Ms. Everhart looked at him. “I was wondering if you were gonna pick up where Dr. Singh left off?”

Everhart nodded. “Insect life. The praying mantis is a fascinating creature. It’s forced to live alone. Why?” 

Clint stretched out his neck and looked at Singh’s glasses. “Mr. Barton?”

“Cannibalism.” Clint said. Half the class grimaced at the thought.

“Not their fault, students. It’s how nature designed them. The female is larger and more aggressive than the male in nearly all of the 1800 species worldwide.” Everhart started to walk around the room then. “The California Mantis lays her eggs, and then finds a mate to fertilize them.” She stared at Tony for that sentence. “And once he’s played his part, she attaches the protective sack to a leaf or a twig away from danger. In a few months, she will have several hundred offspring.” 

Everhart started back to the front of the class. “We should make some model egg sacks for the science fair. Who would like to help?” Just about every male in the classroom raised their hands, except for Steve and Clint. 

{----------}

“Tony drooled in Bio today. It was funny.” Clint said when Natasha sat next to him in the cafeteria. 

“Over that teacher?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah. And Tony’s gonna help her with a project for the science fair.”

“I hate you both.” 

“No, you don’t.” Steve and Clint said.

“Annoying blonds with blue eyes.” Tony muttered before stuffing a forkful of lasagna in his mouth.

Clint drank some of his water when there was a scream from the kitchen. He dropped his cup before he rushed over. Sharon was there, in shock. He stepped around her and gulped. It was Dr. Singh, stuffed in a freezer, without his head. 

A little bit later, “Here, drink this.” Coulson handed Clint a glass of water while the others sat around the library. 

“That was something new.” Steve said. Coulson set a glass of water in front of the others then. “I mean . . . who would want to hurt him?"

“He didn’t have any enemies on the staff. He was a nice old man. I liked him."

“So did I.” Clint stared at his cup of water. “I’m gonna find who did this.” 

Natasha nodded. “I’m just gonna guess, but he was killed last night most likely. He was still in what he was wearing yesterday."

“Umm, I’m gonna ask the question that no one wants to hear, but where did they put his head?” Tony asked. 

“I don’t wanna know.” Steve made a face and looked down at the floor.

Coulson sat down next to Clint and said, “I’ve been trying to figure out what your friend, Bucky, said. The only thing I can find is an odd reference to a vampire who displeased Red Skull and cut off his hand in penance.”

“And replaced it with a big fork?” Clint furrowed his brow.

“I don’t actually know.”

“So did he go after Singh?” Tony asked.

“I don’t think he did. There was an accident from the other night, a homeless person. He was shredded, nothing like Singh.”

“Fork Dude doesn’t do heads. And Singh’s blood wasn't drained.” Clint told them.

“So there’s something else out there, other than our new Silverware Man. Beautiful.” Tony threw his hands up in the air. 

“We’re on a hellmouth, Stark. It’s the center of a mystical convergence.” Tasha said.

“Where was the dude killed? Weatherly Park?” Coulson nodded. “I’ll go hunting tonight. I promise I won’t do anything rash.”

{----------}

Clint stalked the park with both knives and stakes, just in case. He avoided eye contact of a bum who was muttering something about it not being safe out here. He listened to dogs barking and to something that caused the bushes in front of him to to move. He pulled out a stake just as Fork Dude jumped out at him.

He leaped to the side as he barely missed being hit. Punches were thrown from Clint, but the guy kept dodging. Finally, Clint faked going to his left so that he could finally land a hit. Clint kicked him, and Fork Dude fell. Clint tried to stake him, the Forky rolled away and jumped to his feet.

“Hold it! Police!” Someone yelled in their direction.

Forky ran off, and Clint ran after him. Fork jumped a fence and ran towards a woman. Clint recognized it as Everhart. Everhart turned around and stared at him. Forky hissed and then ran off and then climbed into a sewer. Everhart continued on her way to her house.

“What the fuck?” Clint said.

{----------}

“Did you see the person with the fork?” Coulson asked Clint the next morning.

“More like a jumbo claw. I’m not hurt, don’t worry. But I saw something else. Something so fucking weird.” Clint jumped up so that he was sitting on the bar.

“Oh?” Coulson said as he appeared from his office and then glared at Clint. “Must you sit there?”

“I like to be tall.” Clint shrugged. “I saw Ms. Everhart, the teacher that’s subbing for Dr. Singh. Well, I’m chasing Forky Dude last night and Everhart was there, heading somewhere. Forky took one look at her and then ran screaming, went as far as jumping into the sewers.”

“He ran?

“Petrified of Everhart, Coulson. It’s fucking Everhart. Like, here I am, an undead monster with a fork hand. How many things am I afraid of?”

“Not many things. Especially not a substitute teacher.”

“So, what’s her deal? We should keep an eye on her.” 

Coulson nodded. 

“Cool. I gotta get to class. We’re reading 'Hamlet', my favourite.” Clint rolled his eyes and hopped off the bar. “Can the Earth swallow me whole?”

“No. Get to class.” 

Clint ran down the hallway; he was late. He rounded the corner and stopped when he saw Principal Hogan.

“You were there. You saw Dr. Singh?”

Clint nodded. “In the cafeteria when we found . . .”

“Don’t say dead. Or anything. But you witnessed the event, so this way please.” Hogan put his hand on Clint’s shoulder and started to guide him away from English.

“I’m gonna be late for English.”

“You have to see a counselor. Everyone who saw the body has to see a crisis counselor.”

“I really don’t. . .”

“We all need help with our feelings. Or else, we bottle them up and before you know it, they explode.” 

“I really, really don’t. . .”

“No, you have to talk to a counselor and start healing.” Hogan said and then pushed Clint into a chair outside the counselor’s office. Clint groaned. He could hear Sharon from inside, going on and on about life and shit.

“Oh god.” Clint threw his head back against the wall. 

Finally, over an hour later, he ran to Bio and looked in through the small window in the door. Everhart was standing behind Tony. She stood straight and then her head turned around 180 degrees and stared right at Clint.

Clint ducked down and then ran. Inside the library were Natasha and Coulson.

“She just did a full on Exorcist twist.” 

“What?” Coulson looked up, confused.

“Everhart. Also, I didn’t see Flash in the room, and I know he did a one-on-one with her last night after classes.”

“I’ve found nothing that could strike terror in a vampire’s heart.” Coulson said.

“Some insects can.” Natasha said. “And you said she went straight into talking about the praying mantis yesterday in class.” 

Clint sighed. “I’m gonna go do my homework. Christ.” Clint grabbed his bag and then started up the stairs to the stacks. 

{----------}

“Praying mantis.” Clint walked into view of Coulson, Natasha, and Steve, who had recently joined them.

“What?” Steve asked.

“Listen: ‘the praying mantis can rotate its head 180 degrees while waiting for its next meal.’ Everhart’s a fucking bug.” 

“Are you sure?” Natasha asked. “She’s, you know, big and woman shaped.”

Clint pointedly looked at Natasha.

“Her clothes do scream predator. I’m with you.” 

“Thank you, Tasha.” Clint sat next to her then, and they high-fived without looking at each other. Natasha’s phone then beeped. "Flash’s mother called the school. He never came home last night.”

“The boy who worked with Ms. Everhart last night?”

“How do we determine if Everhart’s a bug?” Steve asked. “Logical question here.” 

“Autopsy on Singh.” Natasha suggested. “I can get into the files.” 

Clint nodded. “Do it. Something tells me these teeth might match the marks on Singh.” 

“Guys, Tony’s working with her today.” Steve said. “I just remembered.”

“Shit. I’ll go talk to him.” Clint got up and ran to find Tony. He was outside, walking towards his car.

“Tony!” Clint screamed.

Tony stopped and looked back. “What’s up?”

“Everhart.” Clint said. 

“She’s great.” Tony said. 

“She’s not what she seems.” 

“She’s a lot more.” Tony smiled.

“She’s not entirely human.” Clint said.

“So, then she’s . . .”

“A big bug.”

Tony sighed. “For the first time since you got here, can you just let this go, dude? Everhart is a human lady who kinda digs me.”

“That’s not legal. And disgusting, Tony. And anyway, your attraction to her is just a pheromone she’s giving out.”

“She’s not an insect, Clint, okay? Now, I’m gonna go, and you can go find your fork dude.” Tony shook his head and walked off. He got into the car and drove off.

“Dammit Tony.” Clint muttered and he turned around and kicked a rock. Clint walked back to the library. 

“Where’s Tony?” Steve asked.

“He didn’t listen to me. He’s probably going to see Everhart later today.”

{----------}

A couple of hours later, Tasha smiled. “Got it. Coroner’s report with pictures.”

Everyone crowded around her and the computer. “There are teeth marks.”

“And they match those of a praying mantis.” Steve said. “I don’t like it.”

“That’s how they feed.” Clint said, “Head first.”

“Also how they mate.” Steve said.

“Oh shit.” Natasha said as she looked between Natasha and Steve. 

“Okay. Off to find Everhart then.” 

Coulson walked into the room then. “I had an old friend from my college days. He spent a few years transcribing a lost pre-Germanic test. A few years, several teenage boys were murdered in England. He went hunting for it. He calls it a She-Mantis. It assumes the form of a beautiful woman and then lures innocent virgins back to her nest.”

“Tony’s not . . . I mean probably . . .”

“Gonna die.” Steve said as he pulled out his phone.

“How do we kill it, Coulson?”

“Dismantling the body with a sharp blade.”

“Slice and dice, fine by me.” 

“Tony’s not answering his cell or the house phone.” Steve walked back to them.

“Be careful, Clint. My friend, he’s faced one. He’s still around, but in a straightjacket.” 

Clint nodded. “Well, let’s find her address. And we need bat sonar.” 

“What?” Everyone looked at him.

“Bats eat them. I did my homework. If the mantis hears the sonar, it’s nervous system stops working properly.”

Coulson nodded and walked back into his office.

A few minutes later, Coulson walked out with an MP3 of bat sonar while Natasha smiled. “I have her address.”

“Let’s go then.”

“Guys, according to this, Ms Everhart was born in the 30s. She’s like, 80.”

“And well preserved.” Clint said.

Twenty minutes later, Clint knocked on the door. Coulson, Steve, and Natasha stood a few feet back. 

“Hello.” Someone said as they opened the door.

“I’m looking for Ms. Everhart.” Clint smiled.

“I’m Ms. Everhart.” 

“Christine Everhart, substitute Biology teacher?” Natasha asked as she walked up and stood next to Clint.

“That’s me. I taught for over thirty years. I finally retired in 1999.”

“She used Ms. Everhart’s records to get into the school.” Coulson said.

“How are we gonna find her?” Steve asked.

“She’s in this neighborhood. I know it.” Clint said as he walked down the steps of the house. Behind him, Natasha spoke with the older Ms. Everhart. Clint spotted a manhole cover and smiled. “And I know how to find her. Give me ten.” 

“What?” Steve asked, and Clint jogged away. They watched him climb down into the sewer. 

Twenty minutes later, Clint was forcing Fork Dude around the neighborhood with the others behind him. “I know you’re afraid of her. I saw you. Where is she?”

A few moments, Fork Dude started to whimper and try to escape. Clint smiled. “Here we go.” He looked over at Natasha. “Better than radar.”

“Clint!” Steve yelled. Clint looked back and saw Fork Dude has gotten free.

“I don’t have time for you.” Clint threw a stake, and it pierced Fork Dude in the heart. He turned to dust in a moment.

Clint ran over to the house and started to look in the windows to the basement. He heard Steve behind him while Coulson and Natasha were at the front door. He stopped when he saw Tony tied to a wall, screaming. He kicked the window so it broke before he slid in. Steve slid in behind him and then up the stairs.

“Hey!” Clint screamed. 

“Oh, thank god.” Tony muttered. 

The giant mantis looked back at Clint and Clint sprayed it with insect spray. Everhart stepped back, disoriented. Steve ran around Everhart then and opened the door for Coulson and Natasha. 

“Help me.” Flash whimpered from inside a cage. 

Clint pulled out his MP3 and his machete. “Remember Dr. Singh? You ate his head. Well, he taught me to actually do my homework. And I learned something really important.” He played the bat sonar. “That when you hear this, your nervous system freaks out.”

Clint started then to slice up the mantis. Each cut earned him a scream from Everhart. Finally, he took off her head, and she stopped moving. Clint sighed and walked over to the group. 

“You good?” He asked Tony.

Tony grabbed the machete. “Tony?” Tony walked over to the large mound of eggs and started to hack at the eggs. He destroyed every egg and then walked over to the group. 

“I feel much better.” Tony said. 

Clint patted Tony’s back. “Let’s go anywhere but here. Ooh, SHIELD.” 

{----------}

Clint sat at the bar with a cup of coffee in front of him and Bucky’s jacket on him. He sighed and then saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He straightened up and smiled when he saw that it was Bucky.

“Heard the rumor that there’s one less vampire walking around.” 

“There is. Thanks for the tip.”

“Of course.” Bucky smiled at him.

“Though it would make things easier if I could get ahold of you or even know more about you.” Clint wondered aloud. 

“I’ll be around.” Bucky smiled. Bucky started to walk off then.

“You can have your jacket back.” Clint called after him.

Bucky turned around and smiled. “It looks better on you.” He walked away then, with one last look at Clint over his shoulder.


	5. Never Kill a Boy on the First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint gets a date, kinda

Clint caught the vampire’s leg in his hands, yanked on it so that the vampire fell, and then kicked its side. Clint pulled out a stake, which gave the vampire enough time to get back on its feet. As it rushed Clint, Clint stabbed it in its heart. 

“Bye now.” He said as it turned to dust.

“Poor technique.” Coulson said from behind a gravestone. “You need to prioritize better, and execution was adequate.”

“What? I took that dude down in, like, a minute. Not even.”

“You could have done it better though.” Coulson walked over to him. “It should be simpler.” He stopped and stared down at the ground. He crouched down and picked up a ring. 

“Oh, nice. I kill them, and you fence their stuff. We make a great team. What is it?”

“I don’t know.” 

“But it’s bothering you.” 

“Well, yes. This vampire may be something else. I’ll have to consult the books.” 

“Of course.” Clint yawned. “Can I go home? I’m tired.”

{----------}

Clint sat at the table in the library as Coulson moved around the closet. Clint fiddled with the ring that they had found last night. 

“Could be a rune for fidelity, but it doesn't connect with any sects that I’ve studied.” Coulson frowned at the book.

“What about a sun and three stars? Haven’t we seen something like this before?” 

“What?” Coulson looked at him.

“Inside of the ring, see.” Clint handed Coulson the ring. 

As Coulson looked at the ring, Clint looked at the book. He flipped the pages and pointed. “Order of Aurelius.”

Coulson looked at the book, “You’re right.”

“Ooh yeah. Two points for the Slayer while the Watcher has yet to score!”

The doors to the library opened then, and Jacques walked in. Clint smiled and walked over to him. “Hi Jacques.” 

Coulson looked up, “Can I help you?”

“A book?” 

“Oh yes.” 

“See, this is a school, and we have students, and they check out books to learn things, Coulson.” Clint teased him.

“I was beginning to suspect that was a myth.” 

“I lost my Emily Dickinson. I like having her around, like a security blanket.” Jacques smiled. “It’s dumb, I know.” 

“Oh, no. It’s not dumb at all. She’s great.”

“Poetry.” Coulson pointed towards the back. 

“I didn’t think I’d find you here.” Jacques said as Clint followed up him up to the books. “You don’t seem bookwormy.” 

“Oh.”

“I’ve offended you, I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m just surprised you gave any thought to what I’m like, Jacques.” 

“You shouldn’t be.” Jacques grabbed a book and then walked back downstairs. 

Coulson was at the checkout station and then smiled when Jacques handed him the book. “Oh, Dickinson. She’s lovely. She’s quite a good poet.”

Jacques nodded and then looked at Clint. “I’ll see you in Art History.” 

“Yeah.” Clint leaned against the bar and watched Jacques leave. 

“The Order of Aurelius is a very old and venerated sect. If they’re here, it’s for a good reason, Clint.” Coulson said.

“That was Jacques.”

“Yes, I remember.” Coulson shook his head. "We have a problem to focus on. I understand that you are a teenager, but still.”

Clint sighed and looked at Coulson. “Fine. Sorry. You’re right. Vampires.” 

{----------}

Clint sat in the cafeteria and played with an apple. He sighed as he stared across the room towards Jacques, who was reading the book that he got from earlier.

“Yo, earth to Clint.” Tony waved his hand in front of Clint’s face. 

“Mmm?” Clint looked at Tony. “What’s up?”

“You’re drooling.” Tony chuckled. “And you’re staring at Dernier.”

“He spoke with me.” Clint smiled.

“Oh dude, you have a crush. And it’s bad.” Tony cackled, and Clint pushed him. Tony fell out of his chair and onto the floor; all the while, he still laughed. 

“I don’t want to know.” Steve said as he walked over. 

Natasha was right behind him. “You like Dernier, don’t you?”

“That obvious?” Clint asked.

“Clint - Dernier can brood for like an hour straight. He’s into Dickinson. Do you even know who Emily Dickinson is?”

“American poet.” Clint took a bite of his apple then. “Wrote a weird poem about a fly, if I remember correctly.” Everyone looked at him. “What? I read.” 

“Has anyone ever wondered what this green thing is?” Steve asked as he poked something on his plate. “It’s either kale or string cheese. I don’t know.” He looked up then, “How did last night go?” 

“It was okay. Some new famous vamp is in town.”

“That’s bad.” Natasha said. Clint nodded at her. 

“Oh yeah.”

“You gonna go sit with Dernier? Sharon’s on the move.” Tony said as he pointed his fork towards Dernier, who had looked up from his book to see Sharon in front of him.

“I would, but nah. SHIELD tonight?” Clint looked at the gang then.

Everyone kinda nodded. 

Clint walked out of the cafeteria a few minutes later and got stopped by Dernier. “Hey, Jacques.” 

“Clint. I was wondering if you wanted to go to SHIELD tonight?”

Clint nodded. “Yeah, I was gonna be there with a few friends.”

Jacques smiled. “Cool. I’ll be there around eight. Hope to see you then.” Jacques walked off, and Clint smiled. 

“Ooooh, our baby got himself a date. They grow up so fast.” Tony said, holding Steve close. 

“It’s not a date.” Clint growled.

“What about Bucky?” Natasha asked. “Don’t you like him?”

“It’s a problem.” Clint sighed.

“It is.” Coulson appeared out of nowhere. 

“What?” Clint asked. Everyone looked at Coulson.

“The Order of Aurelius. There is a connection, Clint.”

“Oh.” Clint said. The four of them followed Coulson to the library. 

“I’ve looked at the writings about Aurelius.” Coulson said as the group sat down at the table. “He prophesied that the brethren of his order would come to Red Skull and bring him the Anointed.”

“The annoying?” Clint asked.

“Anointed, a warrior of some sorts. It says they will rise from the ashes of the five in the evening on the thousandth day of after the Advent of Septus.” Coulson looked up from the book.

“And when you say it like that, tonight’s the night. Isn’t it?” Clint asked.

Coulson nodded. “Yes.”

“It can’t be tonight!” Clint whined.

“My calculations are precise.”

“No, they’re bad calculations. Bad!”

“Clint’s gonna be an adult, Coulson. He has a date tonight. With Jacques.” Tony whined too.

“Jacques, remember?”

“Yes, I remember. But those will have to be put on hold. Tonight, we go into battle.” 

Clint frowned and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “But Jacques” 

{----------}

“Maybe I was wrong.” 

Clint glared at Coulson and nodded. “Yeah, I’m thinking you were wrong.”

“Well, you know. Ninety percent of slaying is, is slaying.”

“I feel like your lying.” Clint jumped off the gravestone he was sitting on. “Can I bail? Can I go to SHIELD and find Jacques?”

Coulson sighed and looked at Clint. “Fine, go follow your hormones. But be careful, Clint.”

Clint rolled his eyes. “Yes, dad. I promise I won’t tell him about my secret job. And I promise to be home by midnight.” 

Coulson shook his head. “I was sure it was tonight.” 

{----------}

Clint walked into SHIELD only to see Sharon all over Jacques. He sighed and walked out. “You gotta be fucking kidding me.” He stuffed his hands in his pants pockets. 

{----------}

Clint slammed his locker shut to see Tony. “What?”

“You got home early.” Tony said. “I was in the lab when I heard your car pull up.” 

“I got to SHIELD late, and Sharon was all over him.” Clint made a face and looked down at the floor.

“So you just left? That doesn’t sound like the Clint I know.”

Clint shrugged. “Kinda just got a reminder of who I am and why I can’t have a normal life last night.”

Tony nodded and looked away. He hit Clint’s shoulder and smiled. “Hey Jacques.”

Clint turned around and saw Jacques. “Hey, Clint. Where were you last night?”

“Oh.” Clint scratched the back of his head. “I lost track of time with homework. And then Tony was stupid here.”

Tony nodded. “That’s me, stupid. Now, I’m gonna go. See ya.” Tony walked away.

“Wanna try again for tonight?” Jacques asked.

Clint nodded. “Y-yeah. I’d like that. But what about Sharon? I heard . . .”

“I danced with her a couple of times.” Jacque frowned and shook his head. “She’s kinda grabby, if you ask me. So tonight?”

Clint nodded. “I’ll meet you at SHIELD.”

“Seven.” Jacques said and then walked off. 

Clint ran to the library and saw Coulson sitting at his desk. “Do you need me tonight?”

“What?” Coulson asked as he looked up from a book. “ I could have sworn that last night was the night.”

“But not tonight, right? Like we can relax and regroup? Nothing? Cool. I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!” Clint ran out of the office before Coulson could get in another word.

“What is wrong with that boy?” Coulson shook his head. 

{----------}

“What do you think?” Clint wore jeans, a purple v-neck, and had on the leather jacket that he got from Bucky. He made a quick face and then threw the jacket off. It landed on his bed. 

Natasha nodded. “I like it. But not the jacket?” She leaned back against the headboard of Clint’s bed.

“No.” he shook his head. 

Natasha looked at him. “You’re having seconds thoughts.” 

“Jacques is close to my age, Tasha. And Bucky, all he does is appear now and then and gives me a cryptic message about some impending doom and then waltzes off into the night.” Clint sighed. 

Natasha nodded. “Understandable. But you like Bucky.”

Clint nodded and looked outside of the window. He jumped when the doorbell rang. “Jacques?” Clint asked.

The two of them walked downstairs and saw Coulson. “No Jacques.”

“It did happen. Five people died last night.” Coulson said as he held up a newspaper clipping.

“In a car crash. How is that vampire activity?”

“It’s worth investigating, though. And one of the dead, Eric Savin, was in police custody for a double murder. He may be the Anointed one. The bodies are on the way to the Sunnydale Funeral Home.”

“Coulson, I want one normal night. Tonight. Please?”

“You have a date?”

Clint nodded. “I promise, we can do everything and anything tomorrow.”

Coulson sighed. “Clint.” 

“I haven’t had a night in forever. It’s been one night after another ever since I became a slayer when I was fourteen years old. Over two years.”

Coulson sighed and nodded. “Okay. Fine.”

“Thank you.” There was a knock on the door then, and Tony opened it. 

“Hey, Jacques.” 

Jacques stood there and smiled. “Clint.”

“Hey.” Clint turned to look at the others, “I’ll see you later.” 

{----------}

Clint smiled at Jacques as Jacques talked to him about books. “What do you think?”

“Well, honestly, I think  _ Hunger Games _ is overrated. Like, woo, another apocalypse book. It’s so overdone these days.”

Jacques laughed. “Is it the archery that drew you to it?”

Clint nodded. “It did. I’m a big fan of archery.” Clint stood and held a hand out. “Come dance with me?” 

Jacques nodded and took Clint’s hand. Clint led him to the dance floor, and the two of them started to sway close to each other. “You’re different.” Jacques said.

“How so?” Clint tilted his head to the side.

“One moment I feel like I have you figured out, and the next, I don’t.” 

Before Clint could answer, Sharon walked over. “Jacques, there you are.” 

“I’m with Clint, Sharon. I’ll see you around though.” Jacques smiled.

Sharon took a deep breath and then walked off. 

“Sorry about that.” Jacques said as he leaned down to Clint. 

Clint shook his head. “It’s okay.” 

The two of them danced for a bit longer before Cint pulled Jacques back to a table. 

“Would you like something to eat or drink?” Jacques asked him.

“Some coffee would be lovely; black.”

Jacques shook his head and walked over. 

Clint tapped on the table when someone walked up to them. He looked up and sighed. “Bucky.”

“Clint. I was hoping I would find you here.”

“You were?” 

“Serious stuff is happening tonight. You need to be out there.” Bucky told him.

“You gotta be kidding you, not you too.” 

“What do you know?” 

“Anointed one, something else.” Clint said and stood, trying to walk away.

Bucky grabbed his arm. “If you know, then why aren’t you out there?” 

“See that guy at the bar,” Clint pointed back towards Jacques, “He came here with me. To be with me, Bucky.”

“You’re on a date?” Bucky furrowed his brow.

“Yes!” Clint laughed.

“Here.” Jacques said, handing Clint a mug of coffee. 

“Thanks. Jacques, meet Bucky. Bucky, this is Jacques.” Clint introduced them. “My date.” 

“Hi.” Bucky said.

“Hey. Where do you know Clint from?”

“Around.” Bucky said just as Clint saw Steve, Tasha, and Tony rush in. 

Steve stopped and looked at Bucky. “What are you doing here?”

“Same as you.” Bucky told Steve.

“Excuse me, what are all of you doing here?”

“We should take this party elsewhere.” Tony smiled. “Sunnydale Funeral Home sounds like the place.”

Natasha nodded. “Yeah, isn’t that right, Bucky?” 

Bucky nodded. 

“The funeral home?” Clint asked.

“That sounds like fun.” Jacques said. “Could we sneak in?” 

Clint glared at Bucky. He had a smug smile; ‘I told you so’ was clearly written on his face. “You are staying here. I will be back. Promise me you’ll stay here?”

Jacques nodded. Clint sighed. Clint started towards the door.

Jacques looked at Bucky, “He’s an odd guy.” 

{----------}

Clint, Tasha, Steve, and Tony walked into the funeral home. “Where?”

“The room’s around back.” Natasha said. Clint nodded and they started. They turned the corner and hit a dead end. 

“This is so cool.” Clint spun around and saw Jacques there. “Are we going to see a dead body?”

“Maybe several.” Clint looked at the others. “Watch him.” Clint then ran off.

Clint walked through hall after hall, until he found the morgue door. He poked his head in and looked around. “Coulson?” His bag is on a table. “Coulson?”

He froze when he heard a movement from one of the storage drawers. He pulled out a knife when the door opened. Coulson appeared. “Ew.” Clint leaned away from him. “What happened?” Clint asked as he helped Coulson down.

“More of the brethren came in.”

“After you or the prophecy thing?” 

“That’s what we have to find out. Either find the Anointed or give him something. I don’t know exactly. And anyways, the Anointed may be long gone.”

“But he may not be. But I just have to get Jacques and the others out of harm’s way first.” 

Coulson paused and looked at Clint. “You brought your date here?”

“He followed. I’m trying to get rid of him.” Clint snapped at Coulson. “Give me five minutes.” Clint turned around and bolted down the hallways. He found the four looking at a few crypts. “You guys are leaving.” 

“What? We’re not done looking.” 

“No, Clint’s right.” Natasha said. “We should leave.”

“How about just an office?” Steve asked.

“We tried it though; it was locked.” Jacques said. 

Clint walked over to the office and broke the doorknob. He pushed the door open, “No, it’s not.” Everyone walked into the room. “Okay, you guys get comfy or something, and I’m gonna go find the bathroom. Be back.” He glared at Natasha and she nodded. “Barricade the door,” He whispered to her. 

Clint ran back to Coulson, who was looking through drawers and cabinets. Clint looked in one and grimaced. “Ew, parts. Why a fucking funeral home? Why not, like, a toy store or a candy store. Oooh, a coffee shop.” 

“The Anointed must be gone.” Coulson sighed.

“This is where they keep  _ all _ the dead bodies, right?”

Coulson nodded at Clint. “Why?” 

The sound of glass breaking rang through their ears. “Shit.” Clint started to run with Coulson behind. “The office!” 

Clint turned the corner to run into Steve. “He’s in there.”

“Get everyone out!” Clint ran past him and towards the office. Clint could hear Savin singing from down the hall. Down another hall, Clint heard Tony scream. Clint turned and started to run that way but then heard Savin from another hall. 

“What the fuck?” Clint muttered. He stopped and just listened. He followed Savin’s voice. It came from the morgue. Clint ran there, but he didn’t see Savin. A hand grabbed Clint and threw him into a wall, and he crumpled to the ground. He saw black for a few moments. He shook his head and stood.

“They told me about you while I was sleeping.” Clint looked around and saw Coulson trying to get Savin away. Savin just slapped the cross out of Coulson’s hand and then threw Coulson across the room. Savin walked across the room to Clint. Just as Savin reached out for Clint, the door flew open. Jacques.

“Clint!” He grabbed a tray and hit Savin in the back. Savin stumbled, which gave Clint the opportunity to kick Savin. “Are you okay?”

Savin stood and grabbed Jacques, throwing him into the body drawers. Jacques fell and didn’t move. 

“No.”

Savin turned and smiled at Clint. “Dead.”

Clint immediately kicked Savin and then punched him in the ribs. Savin stumbled, and Clint kicked him again. Savin tumbled over a gurney. Clint kicked him in the face then. “You killed my date!” 

“Clint, Jacques . . .” Tony started to say.

“Give him a sec.” Natasha pushed Tony back.

Clint blocked a punch only to hit Savin with an open-hand punch. Clint then kneed him in the gut and shoved back. “You killed my date.” 

Savin lunged for Clint, but Clint sidestepped him. Savin landed on a gurney, and Clint pushed him into the crematory. Coulson stood, slammed the door shut, and turned it on. Clint sighed and then looked around. 

“Does anyone have an aspirin? Or a hundred?”

“Jacques!” Clint ran over to him and crouched down. “Are you okay?”

Jacques nodded. “Where did the guy go?”

“We scared him off. Let’s go home. I’ll drive you.” 

Jacques nodded. “Okay.” 

Clint helped Jacques up and walked him out of the room. 

{----------}

The next day, Clint sat in the courtyard next to Natasha. “Jacques get home okay?”

Clint nodded. “Yeah. Last night sucked. I’m not allowed to have a life.”

Natasha rubbed his back. “You can, just not a normal one.” 

Clint nodded and leaned forward onto his bag. 

“Clint.” 

Clint looked up and saw Jacques there. 

“I’ll go. See ya at lunch.” Natasha stood and then left.

Jacques sat down where Natasha was. “Hey.”

“Hi.”

“I don’t really know what to say about last night.” Jacques made a face.

“I’m sure you were freaked out.” Clint nodded. 

“Totally. I was wondering, though, when I could see you again.”

Clint looked at Jacques, “What? Repeat that.” 

“You’re amazing and last night, well, I felt alive for the first time ever.” Jacques smiled.

“Oh.” Clint frowned. “That’s why you want to be with me?”

“Well, yeah. We can do something like that again...”

Clint stood and shook his head. “Don’t take this personally, Jacques. It really is me.”

Jacques bit his lip and nodded. “I see.”

“But could we be friends?”

Jacques nodded and stood. “Sure. That’d be great.” Jacques left then.

Clint watched Jacques leave. Coulson walked over to him. 

“I’m sorry. I was ten when my mother told me I was destined to be a Watcher.”

“Were you thrilled about it?” Clint asked as the two started to walk inside.

“No. I had plans for my future. But my mother gave me a long speech about sacrifice and responsibility.” 

Clint nodded. “I should have been there last night. I’m sorry. I just wanted one night.” 

“I know you did, Clint. But, there is no more Anointed One. And wherever Red Skull is, I suppose he is having a bad day.” 


	6. The Pack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve has weird few days with Hyenas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay - finals and family emergency happened.

Clint stared at the lions in their enclosure. They looked sad yet content. 

“Oh, look, it’s Clint.” 

Clint looked back and saw Minn-Erva and her gang walk towards him. 

“Witty.” Clint shot back.

“Do you ever think why no one cool wants to be around you?” Bron-Char asked him. 

“Not really. I’m just thankful.” Clint turned around and leaned against the fence, his arms crossed in front of his chest. 

“I heard that you got kicked out of your last school.” Soh-Lar laughed.

Clint rolled his eyes and started to walk away. 

“Be careful, he might beat you up.” Bron-Char laughed, and the others joined in.

Clint walked around the rest of the zoo and finally found Natasha. She was staring into the Tasmanian Devil habitat. He stopped behind her, and she leaned back onto him. 

“I don’t see it.” 

Clint looked around and then grabbed Natasha’s head and turned it to her right just a bit and pointed. “He’s lying down like a pancake.” 

Natasha got on her tip-toes and nodded. “I understand.” 

Clint chuckled. 

“Clint! Natasha!” Tony screamed. 

They looked over and saw Tony running over to them with Steve behind him. 

“You missed it. I saw the elephants getting it on.” 

“Fascinating.” Natasha rolled her eyes.

Steve got over to them. “Tony is five. I apologize for him.”

“Did Tony find you first?”

Steve nodded. “I was looking at the fishes.” 

“And?” Clint asked.

“It was fishes.” 

The four of them walked on. “I don’t understand the zoo trip. Like, it’s a bunch of animals.” Clint said.

“Yes, it’s a bunch of animals. But it’s also about not being in class.”

Clint shrugged. “Still don’t really see the point.”

Tony shook his head. “I can’t believe you. What kind of student doesn’t like a day when they can just look at animals.”

“I went to an odd school. Anyways, animals shouldn’t be locked up like this, no matter the treatment they get.” Clint scowled.

“Okay, Jesus. I’m sorry.” Tony said as he put his hands up in peace. 

“No, I’m sorry. Saw a lot of animals get treated badly where I came from.” Clint shrugged at Tony. “Sorry.”

Tony nodded. “Apology accepted.” 

“Ugh, what are those assholes doing to Henry?” Steve said as they turned a corner. 

Minn-Erva and her crownies - Bron-Char, Att-Las, and Soh-Lar - were bothering Henry. They had taken something of his. Principal Hogan ran over and spoke to them. But the moment he was gone, they started up again. 

Bron-Char wrapped his arm around Henry’s shoulders and pulled him into the closed hyena house. 

“I’m going after them.” Steve said and ran off.

They watched as Steve followed the group. “Does every school have a group of mean kids?” Clint asked.

Tony looked at Clint. “Yeah - you get your chairs, desks, whiteboards, maybe some smartboards, and your mean kids. Didn’t you have that?” 

“As I said, unconventional school.” 

The others followed but got stopped by some zookeeper. He had “Toomes” written on his shirt. “Where are you going?”

“Just gonna take a look.” Clint told him.

“No, you are not. They are in quarantine.”

“Why?” Natasha asked as she saw Steve sneak into the house.

“Masai tribesmen told me that these hyenas understand human speech. They follow them around, learned their names, and then at night, call out to them. Once they separate someone from the tribe, they ate the tribesmen.”

{----------}

“Shouldn’t Steve be here by now?” Tony asked as he looked around. “Like, where is he?” Tony drummed his fingers on the table in a rhythmic beat.

“Tony, if you don’t stop that, I’m going to stab you.” 

Tony froze and then looked at Clint. “He seemed unhappy on the bus back from the zoo, or was I imagining that?”

“He was quiet.” Natasha said. 

Clint looked at Natasha and then at Tony. “Dude, he probably was in his ‘I’m unhappy because the world isn’t fair’ mindset like he gets into now and then. And anyways, I think you have a crush on him.” 

“I do not!” Tony’s voice got high then.

“You do.” Natasha laughed. “It’s funny. You’re just about constantly monitoring. You got it bad.” 

“I do not.” Tony repeated himself. “Anyways, mister,” He pointed at Clint, “Hasn’t that happened with you lately? Your mysterious older man whose leather jacket you have on now.” 

“I just grabbed the first jacket out of my closet.”

“Oh yeah. Bucky so totally pushed your buttons.” Natasha said.

“Whose side are you on?” Clint asked.

“My own. I just like mocking everyone.” 

“I can tell. Rude.”

Natasha shrugged and slurped some of her drink through the straw.

“There he is!” Tony said. “Steve!” He waved his arms.

Steve walked over. “Sorry I’m late. I . . . lost track of time.” He started to eat Natasha’s croissant, and she did not look happy. “Eh, what was that?” 

“My croissant.” Natasha glared at him. 

Steve shook his head. “I’m gonna go get some real food. Birds live on this.” Steve pushed away from the table and walked off.

“What the fuck is wrong with him?” Natasha asked.

“I don’t know.” Tony frowned. Clint leaned over and bumped shoulders with him.

“Dude, come on. We can go home and just binge movies or something.”

“Ice cream?” Tony asked.

“Ice cream can be involved. We’re getting our own tubs because I am so not eating what you eat, man.” Clint chuckled.

“Okay, look here, dude. Raving Hazelnuts is amazing.” 

Clint rolled his eyes and then froze. He looked back and saw Steve right behind him. “Why the fuck are you smelling me?” 

Steve shrugged. “You showered.”

“I do that. I even hog all the hot water so that Stark here yells at me for it.” Clint said and pushed Steve back a bit. Clint looked at Natasha, and she just shook her head. She was just as confused as he was. 

Steve walked off then and walked over to Minn-Erva and her followers. Steve grabbed Minn-Erva’s hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. 

“What the fuck?” Natasha asked.

“I’m going home.” Tony said. He rushed out before Clint or Natasha could say another word. 

{----------}

Clint walked down the hallway with Tony when they heard screaming. They looked at each other, and Tony frowned. “Can’t we have one day without screaming?”

Clint shrugged and then saw a small pig running towards them. He crouched down and grabbed the pig as it ran by. “Well, hello there.” Clint smiled. He bounced it like it was a baby. It had a small helmet with foam tusks and a serrated green foam thing on it. 

“So cute. We’re not keeping it.” 

Clint held it out a little bit. “It loves you, Anthony Stark, it loves you.” 

Tony laughed as they continued down the hall. “I think Hogan got it to be our school mascot. He’s probably out looking for it.” Tony took off the green foam thing, at least. “He’s kinda cute in the helmet.”

“Eh. He can find him in the library. I’m late to meet Coulson about something.” Clint took off the helmet and tossed it at Tony as they walked towards the library.

They walked inside to see Natasha there, alreadying talking to Coulson. The two of them looked at Clint and Tony. “Why do you have a pig?” Coulson asked.

“Hogan lost it. Gonna keep it company until Hogan finds it.” Clint smiled. 

“Hogan named it Herbert.” Natasha said.

Clint held Herbert closer to his chest. “That is a terrible name, oh my god.” He looked down at the small pig then, “I am so sorry.”

“Shit, I gotta go help Steve with something real quick. See ya at lunch?”

Clint nodded and walked farther into the library as Tony set Herbert’s costume on the bar before he ran off. Clint sat down at the table and stroked Herbert’s head, which caused him to calm down.

“How are you so good with him?” Natasha asked as she leaned over and pet Herbert herself.

“I grew up around pigs. They’re sweet and smart, actually.” Clint said. 

The door swung open and Hogan appeared. “You have Herbert.”

Clint nodded. 

“I was just about to call you, Principal Hogan.” 

“I found him in the hallway!” Clint said before he could get blamed.

“That’s fine. Now, come help me put him back.”

Clint started to hand Herbert over to Hogan, but Hogan stepped away.

“Follow me.” 

Clint stood and rolled his eyes as he followed Hogan to the principal's office, where a pen for Herbert was. On his way there, he saw Steve. Herbert started to squirm and didn’t stop until Steve was around the corner and out of eyesight. 

{----------}

Clint stood in Gym with Tony and Natasha next to him while Steve stood on the other side. They had been split up for dodgeball. Clint sighed. It was raining, so Gym was inside today.

“You know the rules, kids. Have fun.” Coach Ross said before he blew his whistle.

People scrambled to grab balls and then ran back. Balls were thrown, and Clint kept dodging them all, all while he internally sighed. He threw a few balls and hit people. He stopped when he saw Steve teaming up with Bron-Char, Att-Lass, Soh-Lar, and Minn-Erva in hitting people. Steve hit Natasha and then Tony. Tony looked completely dejected while Natasha pulled him off the court. 

Soon, only Clint was left on his side while Steve and his new group stood on their side. They all grabbed a ball, glaring at Clint. There was no way that Clint could dodge all of them. But before Clint could even try, Steve and the others turned inward on Henry and threw the balls at him.

Clint ran over and pushed Steve away. He helped Henry to his feet, and then they walked away.

After gym, Clint and Natasha walked towards Math class. On their way there, they spotted Tony and Steve talking.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Steve?” Tony asked. 

Steve shrugged. “I mean, I guess I’ve been different around you lately.”

“Yeah.”

“I think it’s because my feelings for you have changed.”

Clint and Natasha looked at each other while they both stepped closer to their friends.

“And well,” Steve continued, “We’ve been friends for such a long time that I feel like I could tell you this. I’m dropping Trig so I don’t have to see you anymore.” 

Tony froze as Steve laughed and walked over to Minn-Erva. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and they walked off, flanked by Bron-Char, Soh-Lar, and Att-Las.

Natasha ran over to Tony and hugged him. Clint stayed where he was, though, staring at Steve. 

{----------}

That night, Clint sat with Tony in Tony’s bed as they watched TV. Tony was eating his hazelnut ice cream while Clint had plain chocolate. 

“I’ve known him since kindergarten, Clint.” 

Clint rubbed Tony’s back. “There’s something wrong with him.”

“Or me.” Tony muttered.

“No. Steve’s had some weird brain switch or body swap. Yeah, you’re a little weird Tony, but that just makes you awesome. You’re fine. Steve’s the one that needs some cognitive recalibration.”

Tony snorted. “You sure?”

Clint nodded. “Definitely. Something weird is going on, and I’ll get down to the bottom of it.”

Tony snuggled farther into the bed then. “Natasha said you were good with the pig.”

Clint sighed and leaned back against the headboard. “I grew up in the circus.” 

Tony flew up, almost spilling ice cream onto the bed. “You grew up in the circus? I thought you were from Iowa.”

“I am from Iowa. I just spent a few years traveling with a circus. I was too small to really be of any help to the crew, so I helped with the animals. I fed them, helped clean their cages, kept them clean themselves, and helped get them ready for shows and then took care of them afterwards.” Cint said as he made sure that no ice cream was spilled anywhere. “Can we finish the movie?”

“We’re watching  _ Dumbo  _ now.” 

“We didn’t have elephants.” Clint sighed.

“Too bad. Dumbo!”

{----------}

“So you’re saying Steve is teasing other children?” Clint nodded at Coulson. “And there’s been a change in clothing and demeanor?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s spending his free time with imbeciles?”

“It’s bad, isn’t it.”

“Devastating.” Coulson said with a serious face. “He’s turned into a sixteen-year-old boy. You’ll have to kill him.”

“Coulson, I’m serious. Something is going on. He scared the pig. Like, Steve’s a teddy bear. But all of a sudden, he’s changed. It started with the hyena cage at the zoo.” Clint said.

“You think Steve’s becoming a hyena.”

“Or possessed by one. And not just Steve, the rest of the assholes too.” 

“Herbert!” Natasha said as she and Tony ran into the room.

“The pig?” Coulsona sked.

“Dead.”

“And eaten.” Tony finished Natasha’s thought.

“And Hogan’s freaking out.” Natasha said.

“What?” Clint looked at Coulson. “Something’s going on.”

Coulson nodded. “I’ll grab my books. Look stuff up.” Coulson disappeared into his office then.

A few hours passed with all of them reading. “Huh. Noah rejected hyenas because he thought that they were an evil mixture of cats and dogs. That’s sad.” Clint said.

“Why couldn’t Steve get possessed by a puppy or a duck or, hey! a cat.” Tony said as he slumped onto the floor next to Clint.

“That’s if possession is the right word,” Natasha said as she sat next to Tony. 

“Where were those hyenas from?” Coulson asked as he walked over to them.

“Africa. Zookeeper said something about the Masai tribe.” Natasha said.

“There’s a sect of animal worshippers known as Primals. They believe that humanity, the soul, is just a spirit. To them, the animal state is holy. They’re able to draw the spirit of a certain animal into themselves.”

“And they act like hyenas.” Clint said.

“Yes.” Coulson said as he leaned on the stairwell banister. 

“And what happens to the person?” Tony asked.

Coulson handed a book to Natasha, and she grimaced. Clint and Tony looked. It was a drawing of people with their heads and limbs missing with massive wounds.

“We need to save Steve.” Tony said as he looked between his two friends and mentor.

“I’m gonna go check out Herbert’s cage, see if I can find anything.” 

Clint ran to the room where Herbert’s things were. He walked in and saw the cage destroyed. “They’re strong.” he sighed. He walked around and heard something crunch below his foot. He looked down and gulped - it was a vertebrate along with some other bones. He crouched down and picked up a rib. “Oh, Herbert, I’m so sorry.” He stood up and looked back and jumped. “Steve, you scared me.” 

“Sorry.” Steve said casually. Steve then lunged at Clint, and they fell. Steve climbed on top of Clint and held him down. “Hi.” he smiled.

“Get off me, Steve.”

“Is that really what you want? I know you like dangerous men.” Steve smirked.

Clint seethed. “Steven, you’re infected with some hyena thing. It’s like a possession.”

“Dangerous like Bucky, your mystery guy.” 

Clint sighed and then threw Steve off of him. Clint jumped to his feet to see Steve standing too. Steve rushed him and pushed Clint back against the wall. “Don’t struggle, Clint. I know you want this.” Steve sniffed Clint again and then went in for a kiss.

Clint headbutted Steve, who stumbled back. Clint grabbed Steve by the collar, “Sorry,” and then smashed Steve’s head through the wall. Steve slumped down. “Sorry.” 

{----------}

Clint dragged Steve into the room.

“Oh my god!” Natasha exclaimed when she saw them.

“What happened?” Tony asked.

“I put his head through a wall.” Clint dragged Steve into the closet and then locked the door. “He tried his hand at sexual assault.”

“Clint . . . the hyena.” Tony frowned.

“I know. But he won’t be wooing anyone lately. Where’s Coulson?” Clint looked around.

Tony shrugged. “He got called to some last minute teachers’ meeting. What are we going to do?”

“The rest of the pack was spotted outside of Herbert’s cage. They were sent to Hogan’s office.” Coulson then sighed.

“They hurt him, didn’t they?” Natasha asked.

“They, uh . . . ate him.”

Tony fell into a chair while Clint leaned against the wall. 

“They ate Principal Hogan?” Natasha asked.

“The official theory is that wild dogs got into his office. There was no one at the scene.” Coulson said.

“Steve didn’t, right? He was with you?” Tony asked.

Clint nodded. “Yeah.” He looked at Coulson then. “How do we stop this?” 

“The Malleus Maleficarum might be helpful.” Coulson shook his head. “But . . .”

“But?” Tony asked.

“It’s just putting the hyena in someone else.”

“Okay, yeah. Oddly enough, no volunteers for that.” Clint said.

“The zookeeper may know something. He didn’t quarantine those hyenas because they were sick.” Natasha said.

“We need to talk to him.” Coulson said.

“Someone’s gotta watch Steve.” Clint said, pointing towards the locked door. 

“I will.” Tony said.

“Are you sure?” Clint asked.

“Yeah. I got this. You guys go talk with the zookeeper.” 

“Call if anything happens.” Clint said as he left with Coulson and Natasha. 

{----------}

“They have been possessed by the hyenas?” The zookeeper, Toomes, asked.

“Yes.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Dude, we’re sure.” Clint said. 

Coulson stopped for a moment. “You don’t seem surprised.”

“They were imported from Africa. There was something strange about them from day one. I did my homework. This breed is very rare, vicious. They were worshipped by these guys . . .”

“Primals?” Coulson asked.

“Yeah. And they had rituals for taking the hyenas’ spirits. I don’t know how that happened to those students.” Toomes said.

Coulson and Toomes immediately started to talk over each other and made no sense.

“Boys!” Natasha yelled.

“Sorry,” They both said.

“We may have enough information together that we can pull off a reverse trans-possession.” Toomes said.

“Okay.” Clint said. “You guys work on that. I’m gonna get everyone else here.”

“How’d you know . . .”

“They were here to get possessed. They need to be here to get unpossessed.” Clint said. 

“But how will we get all of them?” Natasha asked. “Steve’s locked up.”

“After hyenas feed and rest, they track their missing member.” Toomes said.

“Tony.” Natasha and Clint said as they both ran out of the habitat. 

{----------}

Clint got into the school to see Tony on the floor with Bron-Char over him. “Hey!” Clint yelled and then pushed Bron-Char out of the way. He grabbed Tony and pulled him to his feet. “C’mon.” 

“They came out of nowhere and got Steve out of the closet.” Tony said.

Clint nodded and then pulled Tony into an empty classroom and locked the doors. The pack pounded on the door but after a few moments, it stopped.

“I think they’re gone.” Tony said.

Clint nodded. “They’re hungry. They’ll be looking for their next meal. I’m so sorry, Tony. I didn’t know.”

Tony nodded. “It’s okay. What’s the plan?”

“We get them to the zoo. Coulson is there; he’ll somehow reverse it. You go. I’ll track these idiots down and get them there.”

“Are you sure?” Tony asked.

Clint nodded. “Yeah. Get going. Natasha’s there, too.”

{----------}

Clint ran down the street and stopped when he saw the pack on a car, scaring a family, who were trapped in their car. Clint ran over and pulled Att-Las off the car. “Didn’t anyone say you’re not allowed to play with your food?” He kicked Steve in the face, who fell back. Soh-Lar jumped off the roof while everyone stared at Clint.

Clint turned and ran, “That’s right, follow me.” He whispered to himself. 

Clint ran through town with the pack right behind him. Finally, he hit the zoo. Just a bit farther. He turned and ran down the path to the hyena habitat. He ran into the building and saw Toomes with a knife to Tony’s throat. He saw Coulson and Natasha knocked out on the sides of the room. 

The pack ran in, and Toomes smiled. “Yu ba ya sa na.” He said.

Toomes and the pack’s eyes glowed green for a second. Next thing Clint knew, Toomes was growling at Tony and was about to bite Tony’s throat. 

“Tony!” Steve screamed. He lunged towards Toomes and knocked him back. He grabbed Tony and pulled him out of danger.

Clint kicked Toomes back. Toomes steadied himself and charged Clint. Clint grabbed him and threw Toomes over his back. Clint turned and let Toomes charge again. Clint grabbed him and threw him into the hyena pit. He could hear the hyenas pulling him apart. 

As Clint ran to check on Natasha, he saw Minn-Erva and company scramble out of the habitat.

“Hey, you okay?” He asked.

Natasha looked up and nodded. “I’ll have a headache. Is everyone okay?” 

Clint looked back and saw Tony checking on Coulson. Tony looked at him and nodded. “Coulson’ll be fine.”

He helped Natasha up, and Natasha hung off him. “Let’s go to bed.” Clint said.

{----------}

The next day, the four of them and Coulson were walking across the quad.

“The VP is gonna step up until the replacement can be found.” Natasha said. Clint frowned when he saw a bruise on her temple. She pushed him away. 

“Shouldn’t be too hard, unless they ask what happened to Hogan.” Tony said.

“I had nothing to do with that, right?” Steve asked as he looked at the others.

“Nope.” Natasha shook her head. 

“You only ate Herbert.” Tony said.

“Like bacon or cooked?”

Clint shook his head. “Nope.”

“Oh god.” Steve looked at the ground, horrified.

“It wasn’t you, though.”

Steve nodded. “One moment, we’re on the field trip, and I’m trying to help Henry, and then there’s a guy holding Tony at knife-point.”

“And you saved my life.” Tony smiled.

“Well, no one messes with you. Only I can. And Natasha. And Clint.”

Tony pushed Steve and laughed.

“Oh my god, we have to go to the circus, guys. Clint grew up in one.” 

“What?” Natasha burst out laughing then. 

“Oh dude. I swear to god, Stark, if that gets out, I’m going to kill you and make it look like an accident.” 

Tony cackled and then ran off with Natasha close behind him. She wanted to know everything. “Dammit.” Clint whined.

“That’s a story for another day.” Steve smiled.

“I’m going to be honest, Steve. I’ve been reading up on animal possession, and I can’t find anything anywhere about memory loss afterwards.” Coulson said.

Clint looked at Steve, and Steve shook his head. 

“Okay. One, Clint I’m very sorry for what happened. You had every right to throw my head through a wall. And two, don’t tell Tony please.”

Clint nodded.

“Your secret is safe with me.” 

Steve sighed, and he walked with Clint off to class. 


	7. Bucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint learns more about Bucky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so fucking sorry - between work, covid19, dealing with housing issues, and trying to finish the semester without dying, I got distracted. So fucking sorry. 
> 
> I hope you're all doing well and I hope you enjoy this long waited update.
> 
> Sorry

“That’s . . . I don’t have words for this.” Clint said as he looked around SHIELD. 

“What, you don’t like our cockroach fest?” Tony laughed.

“Not particularly. Spent enough time with these fuckers. I don’t want to see more of them.” Clint grimaced as he saw someone squish one. He then saw a guy catch one and bring it to the bar for a free drink.

“Ah, SHIELD fumigation.” Tony smiled. “An annual tradition, few days of nuking some beasts. So that, next year, there are stronger beasts to nuke. I’m waiting for the day where they can’t kill them anymore.” When Clint didn’t respond, Tony rolled his eyes and then walked off, leaving Natasha with Clint.

They looked at Clint, who was looking off into the distance. 

“Where are you?” Natasha asked as she got Clint’s attention.

“Oh, sorry. I was thinking.” 

“About a guy?” She smiled at him.

Clint shook his head. “There isn’t a guy. For there to be a guy. . . I don’t know where this sentence is taking me.”

“You lack a guy that is shaped like Bucky?” She rested her head in her hand.

“Bucky? Oh yeah, I can see a relationship with him. ‘Hi, honey, you’re in grave danger. I’ll see you next month.’ Kiss on the cheek, and then he’s out of there.” 

Natasha nodded. “He’s not around much, is he?”

“When he is, it’s dim lights and loud music and a crowd.”

Natasha nodded. Just then, Steve walked over to them and leaned against Clint. “Boy, Sharon is as ruthless as ever.” 

“It’s Sharon.” Natasha said. 

Steve stepped on a cockroach then and looked at Clint. “We are not happy at this table.”

Clint sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m gonna go. I’m affecting those dearest to my heart.”

“No!” Tony yelled as he walked over with a drink in his hand. “Stay!” Tony smiled. 

Clint shook his head. “I’m gonna go. I promise to be better tomorrow.”

“You better.” Natasha said as Clint got up. 

He patted Tony and Steve on the back before he gave Natasha a quick hug.

On his way home, he felt someone watching him. He looked behind him but saw nothing or no one there. He continued on and heard something. “It’s late, and I’m tired. I don’t wanna play games tonight, Bucky.” 

He spun around and saw a vampire there. He pulled out a stake and swung, but another vampire grabbed his hand. “What?” Clint asked.

A third one grabbed his arm and held him still.

“Hey!” Clint pulled but couldn’t move. 

The three vampires pulled him over to the side of a building. The first one walked over and grabbed Clint’s head and pulled his head to the side so that Clint’s neck was showing.

“Hey.” Clint struggled. He gulped and then kicked the main guy in the crotch. He pulled his arm away from the second dude and tried to get the third one. 

The third one stayed on him and pushed him farther into the wall. “Oh shit.” He tried to move, but the vampires held him close. The one that held his head let go all of a sudden. Clint snapped his eyes open and saw Bucky dragging the first one away. 

“Good dogs,” Bucky punched the vampire, “Don't bite.” 

Clint smiled and was able to headbutt one of them. It stumbled backwards, and Clint grabbed the third one and slammed its head into the wall. Bucky took care of the first one while the second one grabbed a piece of iron off the ground.

“Bucky!” Clint yelled.

Bucky turned around and got slashed on the back. Clint kicked the third one in the gut and ran off to help Bucky. The first one attempted to stab Bucky, but Clint grabbed the vampire’s arm. “Don’t you fucking dare.” He roundhouse kicked him in the face and then pushed him away. 

Bucky grabbed Clint’s arm and waist and then pulled him out of the alley. They started to run together while Clint led them through town. They ran up the stairs to the front door of Clint’s place, “Come on, get in!” Clint opened the door and let Bucky run in after him. He closed the door and locked it.

“Don’t worry, vampires can’t come in unless invited.”

“I know. It makes me feel better though.” Clint sighed and leaned against the door. He looked at Bucky then. “You’re injured. We have bandages in the kitchen.” 

Bucky followed Clint around the stairs and into the kitchen. Bucky sat down at one of the stools. He hissed when he took his jacket and his shirt off. 

“Here. Oh.” Clint stopped when he turned around with the first aid kit. There was a red star on his left shoulder. “Nice tat. I was lucky you came along.” He pulled out a few bandages and a stake. “How did you happen to come along?”

“I live in the area. I was walking.”

“Mmhmm, so you weren’t following me? I had a feeling.”

Bucky smiled over his shoulder. “Why would I follow you?”

Clint rolled his eyes as he finished patching Bucky up. “You tell me. You’re the mystery man here. I’m not unhappy about tonight, but I just wanna know why you’re around.” 

“Maybe I like you.” 

“Maybe?” Clint smiled at Bucky. 

They both paused when they heard the door open. Clint ran to the door and saw Tony walk in. He pulled Tony farther into the house and then looked outside before he shut the door. 

“You good, mate?” Tony asked.

“Vampires outside, sorry. You good?”

Tony nodded. “Yeah. You?”

“Tired. You should go upstairs and sleep.”

“Umm, okay. I was gonna go to the workshop.” Tony said as he tried to move towards the workshop.

“Okay. You have fun.” 

Tony blinked as Clint pushed him into the garage and then slammed the door in front of him. Clint started back towards the kitchen when he saw Bucky near the stairs. “Follow me.” 

They walked up the stairs and then into Clint’s room. Clint looked through the blackout curtains before closing them again. 

“I don’t wanna get you in trouble.” 

“And I don’t want you dead, Bucky. Just because they didn’t go after Tony doesn’t mean that they’re still not out there.” Clint said. Clint walked into his closet and then pulled out a blanket. “I’ll take the couch, you can have the bed.” 

“I’ll take the couch. Trust me, I’ve had worse.”

“Umm, okay. Bathroom’s through there.” Clint pointed towards the door next to his closet. “I’m gonna get ready. You can take a shirt if you want.” 

Clint grabbed his pajamas and then slipped into the bathroom. He quickly changed and when he dug around for floss in one of the drawers, he saw his old hearing aids. He sighed and then slammed the drawer shut. 

He walked back to his room to see Bucky looking through the books on his shelves. “You read a lot?”

Clint shrugged as he threw his clothes into a hamper. “Whatever I get my hands on.” 

Bucky nodded. “I didn’t see them outside.” 

Clint looked at Bucky as he sat on the bed. “I’m the Chosen One, but why do you fight them?”

“Someone has to.” 

“What does your family think?” 

“They’re dead.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Clint looked down at his bed comforter. 

“It was a long time ago, don’t worry.”

“So vengeance then?”

“Yeah.” Bucky nodded and moved to sit on the couch. He looked up at Clint and then smiled, “You look nice when you go to sleep.” 

Clint snorted. “You should see me in the morning.” Clint leaned over and threw a pillow at Bucky. He caught it with one hand. “You want another?”

“Nah, I’m good.” 

Clint nodded and crawled under the covers while Bucky got settled on the couch. He turned the light off then and got comfy in bed. “Bucky?”

“What?”

“Do you snore?” 

Bucky smiled. “I don’t know. It’s been a long time since anybody could have told me.” 

Clint nodded and curled into a ball as he closed his eyes.

{----------}

“Wait, Bucky was in our house last night? Why didn’t I know that?” Tony leaned forward over the table. “He spent the night in your bed?”

“By my bed. He was on the couch.” Clint shrugged.

“Oh my god.” Tony stood up and threw his hands up into the air. 

“That’s sweet.” Steve said. 

“Oh, come on. Bucky’s just trying to get into Clint’s pants.” 

“By getting slashed in the back? Oh yeah, totally turned me on.” Clint looked at Tony, giving him the ‘are you kidding me’ face.” 

“Can we steer this amazing conversation back to the vampires that attacked you last night?” Coulson said as he put a book down in front of Clint.

“Hey, those were the dudes.” Clint said as he pointed to the three vampires. 

“You encountered the Three. Warrior vampires, proud and strong. You’re hurting Red Skull.”

“How do you know so much?” Natasha asked.

“I was up til six researching.” 

“Ew.” Natasha looked over at Clint. “Were there touches?” 

“No. Jesus.”

“Anyways, Clint and Bucky are no longer in danger. The Three have failed, which means that they will offer their own lives in penance.” Coulson shook his head.

{----------}

Clint stared at Coulson, who was getting weapons out of the closet.

“I don’t need to train. I train every day already.”

Coulson threw a quarterstaff at him, and Clint caught it with one hand. 

“You never know whom or what you’ll be fighting.” Coulson started to put pads on. “These traditions are passed on, and you must know them. Put your pads on.” Coulson said.

Clint shook his head. “No.”

“En garde.” Coulson said.

Clint twirled the quarterstaff in front of him and then immediately knocked Coulson onto the floor. He stood over Coulson with the staff aimed at his head.

“We good? Can I go home and do homework or nap, most likely?”

Coulson nodded. “Yes, we’re good.”

“Cool. See ya tomorrow.”

{----------}

Clint walked into his room and saw Bucky on the couch, reading something.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” He smiled when he looked up.

“I brought you some dinner.” Clint said, handing him a plate of chicken, veggies, and some rice. 

“Thanks.” Bucky said as he stood up. 

“Did you read all day?” 

“Just about.” Bucky said. “I napped a bit too.” 

Clint walked over to Bucky and smiled at him. 

“I did a lot of thinking today.” Bucky said.

“Yeah?” Clint got closer, only a few inches between them now.

“I can’t be around you, Clint.” Bucky placed his hand on Clint’s waist then.

“Oh.” Clint felt his heart drop into his stomach, yet he still placed a hand on Bucky’s chest. “Why?” He looked to the floor then.

“Because whenever I’m around you, all I can think about is how badly I want to kiss you.” 

Clint looked up. “What? Kiss me?” 

“I’m older than you, and this can’t . . .” Bucky said as he pulled away.

“How much older?” Clint grabbed Bucky’s arm. 

Bucky turned towards Clint, “I should. . .”

“Go, I know. But I don’t. . .”

Bucky pulled Clint close then kissed him. All Clint could feel was Bucky’s lips on his, moving fast. Bucky backed them up against the sliding window to the balcony. Clint threaded his fingers through Bucky’s hair then. Clint pulled back to catch some air, and Bucky leaned away. 

“Bucky, what’s wrong?” Clint asked, out of breath.

Bucky growled and looked over at Clint. Clint let go of him and stepped back. “No.” 

Bucky rushed out of the balcony door and then jumped off the balcony. Clint covered his mouth as he silently screamed. He felt hot tears roll down his face. “No.” He screamed. 

{----------}

Clint sat in the library and stared at the table. 

“Bucky’s a vampire?” Steve asked.

Clint looked up just a bit to see Tony, Natasha, and Steve looking at him. Coulson wasn’t in sight. Clint gulped and nodded. “One minute, we were kissing, and then the next . . .” Clint said. He looked up as Coulson walked into the room. “Can a vampire be a good person?”

“A vampire isn’t a person at all. It’s a demon to its core; there is no halfway.” Coulson gave Clint a large cup of coffee then.

“So, that’s a no?” Natasha asked.

“Why was he doing all that then? Why was he being nice to me? Was it some plan?” Clint asked as he stood and walked away. He ran a hand over his face then. 

“No offense, but you’re a slayer, and he’s a vampire. It’s obvious what you have to do.” Tony said. “I’m sorry, Clint.”

“It is the Slayer’s duty . . .” Coulson said as he sat down on the table. 

“I know you have feelings for him, but it’s not like you love him.” Tony said.

Clint just gulped.

“You do love him.” Natasha said.

“What?” Tony practically screeched. “Are you outta your mind?” 

Clint shook his head and walked out of the room.

“Shut up, Tony.” Natasha said as she got up. She followed Clint into an empty classroom. 

“Clint?”

“I . . . I don’t know Tasha. I really don’t. I really can’t have a life, can I? Jacques only liked me for an adrenaline rush. And Bucky’s a fucking vampire!” Clint kicked a cabinet. “I swear, whatever Power that Be or God above, they really did not want me to have a normal life. Even before being called.” Clint sighed.

“It’s okay not to have a normal life.” Natasha said. “It’ll be okay.” 

Clint shook his head and sniffled as he tried not to cry. “It never has been.” He looked up at Natasha. “It never will be.” 

“It will. Come on, let’s go get something to eat. Coulson will look into it more. He’ll find out what happened. C’mon.” Natasha grabbed Clint’s hand and hugged him.

{----------}

Clint walked into the library later with Natasha and some food. “There’s nothing about Bucky in the texts, but then I went to previous watcher diaries.” Coulson said as he walked into the main library.

Clint handed him a bag of food. “Thank you. There’s mention of a vampire about a hundred and thirty years ago in the South. The vampire with striking blue eyes.”

“You got that right.” Clint said as he placed food in front of Steve and Tony.

“Did Bucky have a tattoo on his left shoulder, a red star?” Coulson asked.

Clint nodded.

“You saw him shirtless?” Tony asked.

“So Bucky’s been around for a bit?” Steve asked.

“He’s 175. He was sired in 1864 when he was a soldier for the Union army during the Civil War. He was 27, a private named James Buchanan Barnes. But the diaries go on with James wreaking havoc in the U.S. until right before War World I, where he went to Europe and wreaked havoc until 1942. After that, he just stops. He lives alone and shuns other vampires. There’s no record of him hunting.” 

“So, he is good?” Steve asked. “I mean, on a scale of one to ten, he’s like a four?”

Coulson shook his head. “There’s no record, but vampires hunt and kill. It’s what they do.” 

“Fish gotta swim; birds gotta fly.” Tony said.

“He could’ve fed on me plenty of times. But he didn’t. Why? Why didn’t he?” Clint asked the group. He stood, annoyed with them again, and left. He needed some fresh air.

{----------}

Steve sat down next to Clint outside of the school a little bit later. “How are you?”

“Shit.” Clint said.

Steve nodded. “I gotta know something. When Bucky kissed you . . . how was it?” 

Clint looked at Steve, and Steve went red. “It was amazing. Best kiss I’ve ever had.” He sighed then “I need to get over it, though. This can’t be a thing. Like Tony said, I’m the Slayer and he’s a vampire. But . .”

“I know. He’s never hurt you. He’s only helped. I understand.”

“Where is Tony?” Clint asked.

“He went home a little bit ago. He said he needed to take his unhappiness out in the workshop.” 

“I’ll go talk to him.” Clint stood and grabbed his bag. “I’ll see you in the morning?”

Steve nodded. “See ya.”

{----------}

Clint walked into the house and called out, “Tony! Can we talk?” He walked into the kitchen and stopped. Tony was bleeding from his neck, and Bucky held him, his fangs bared. 

Bucky dropped Tony as Clint grabbed a stake. “Get the fuck out. Now.” Clint warned.

Bucky nodded and backed out of the house before running away.

Clint pulled out his phone, and he grabbed a towel and held it to Tony’s neck. “I need an ambulance at 1630 Marvello Boulevard. My friend cut himself; he’s lost a lot of blood.” Clint looked down at Tony, “C’mon Tony, you’ll be okay.” He said as his voice shook.

{----------}

Clint sat in a chair as he waited for Tony to wake up.

“Clint?” 

“Hey.” Clint sat up and looked at Tony. “How are you feeling?” 

“I’m tired. Where are we?”

“Hospital. You lost blood, Tony. I was worried.”

Tony nodded. “Okay.”

Coulson, Natasha, and Steve rushed into the room then. “Hey.” Tony smiled at them.

“What happened?” 

“Bucky.” Clint said.

“It wasn’t Bucky.” Tony said.

“What?” Clint looked at Tony confused. “Who was it then?”

“Some girl named Carol. She said she was Sharon’s cousin and that the three of you were doing an English project together. I fucked up, didn’t I?” Tony said, as he grabbed Steve’s hand.

“It’s okay. I’m gonna go find Carol and Bucky. And kill them both.” Clint said and left the room before anyone could otherwise.

{----------}

Clint walked into SHIELD with a bow and arrow. Clint stopped when he saw Bucky leaning against the stage.

“I’m just an animal, right?” Bucky asked him.

“No. I like animals. You’re worse.” Clint said. 

“Okay then.” Bucky stood up straight and lunged at Clint. Clint fired off an arrow that Bucky dodged. Clint dodged Bucky and ran to the other side of SHIELD and up a few stairs.

“C’mon, Slayer, don’t get soft on me.” 

Clint shot an arrow that embedded itself next to Bucky’s head in the wall.

“A little wide.” 

“It was a warning shot, Bucky. You know, I’ve killed a lot of vampires, but I’ve never hated one before.”

“Feels good, right? It’s simple.”

“I invited you in and then you attacked the first person who made me feel like I had a family for the first time in a long time.” 

“Why not? I killed mine. I killed their friends too, and then their friend’s children. For eighty years, I gave an ugly death to everyone I met.”

“What changed?”

“I fed off this young nurse in ‘42. She was sweet. Her sister, she was into witchcraft. She restored my soul for punishment. See, when you become a vampire, the demon takes your body, but it doesn’t get your soul. That’s gone. No conscience, no remorse - easy way to live. And well, you get that back after eighty years of the things I’ve done . . . Well, let’s just say, I haven’t fed off a living human since that day.”

“So you started with Tony?”

“I didn’t bite him.” Bucky said as he leaned forward. Clint knocked another arrow and Bucky leaned back, hands up.

“Why didn’t you say so?”

“I wanted to. I can walk like a man, but I’m not.”

Clint nodded. The two of them walked towards each other. Clint offered Bucky his neck. “Are you going to take it?”

Bucky stared at it but then looked away, his eyes closed.

“I will.”

Clint turned around and saw the blond girl from the Harvest situation there. “You.”

“I used to love Bucky too, you know.” Carol said. “We were together for a while. I made him. We shared everything.” She looked at Bucky then. “You love someone who hates us. You’re sick, James. And you’ll always remember what it was like to watch him die.” Carol produced two guns then. She shot Bucky and then pointed the other at Clint.

“Don’t worry, bullets can’t kill us. But they do hurt like hell.” 

Clint ran back and dove behind the bar, with Bucky a few feet away from him. He knocked an arrow and then shot it. It hit Carol in the chest.

“Close, honey, but no heart.” She smiled as she ripped the arrow out of her chest.

“I’ll distract her.” Bucky said, grunting from the pain. Bucky got up and ran then. Clint heard Carol shoot and he stood before knocking an arrow and letting it go.

Carol gasped when it hit her directly in the heart. She burst into dust then. Clint walked over to the pile and then backed up to see Bucky at the door, holding his side. Bucky nodded and then walked out. Clint gulped and pulled out his phone, dialing Tony’s number to tell him that his attacker was dead.

{----------}

The four of them sat around a table upstairs and watched everyone dance. 

“Ah, the post-fumigation party. Much hardier cockroaches.” Tony smiled. Steve rolled his eyes, and Natasha chuckled. Clint smiled slightly as he stirred his drink.

“Nothing from Bucky?”

Clint shook his head. “No, but I feel like he’s still watching me, though.”

“He kinda is. In the way that he’s down there.” Tony said and pointed towards the bottom of the stairs. Bucky was leaning against the railing.

“I’ll be right back.” Clint asked. The three nodded at him. 

Clint made his way down the stairs and stopped on the step before Bucky. 

“I wanted to see if you were okay. And Tony.”

“We’re both good. You?”

“I’d like to go a little while before getting shot or stabbed.” He sighed. “This can’t . .”

“Ever be anything. I know. For one thing, you’re like a hundred and fifty-nine years older than me.” 

“I gotta . . I gotta walk away.” Bucky said.

Clint nodded as he stepped down to be level with Bucky. “I know. Me too.” He leaned in closer. “One of us has to go here.” 

“Yeah.” Bucky whispered. He took Clint’s face in his hand and pulled him in for a kiss. A kiss that Clint happily returned. Clint put one hand on Bucky’s waist while his other gripped Bucky’s hair again.

After a few moments, they separated. 

“You good?” Clint asked.

Bucky nodded. “It just . . .”

“Painful, I know. See ya?” Clint detached himself from Bucky then. 

Bucky nodded and slowly let his hand trail down Clint’s face and then fall away. Clint gave him one last smile before he turned and walked back up the stairs towards his group of friends. 


	8. I Robot, You John

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony get's a boyfriend . . . kinda

Clint pulled off the top of a box and frowned. “Oh, look, another book!”

“Put that book in that pile, Clint. I haven’t had time to go through the new arrivals.” Coulson said as he set a book down himself.

“Here, let me.” Joseph said.

“Thanks.” Clint said.

Joseph nodded and took the book and laid it in a pile next to Tony. Tony was on his computer, scanning page after page of books here and there. 

“When I’ve examined it, Tony, you can umm...scan it.” 

“Oh, I know our ways are strange to you, Coulson.” Computer teacher, Maria Hill, said. 

Coulson eyed her and then continued looking at the book in his hands. “I still prefer a good book.” 

“The printed page is obsolete.” Bret said. “Information isn’t bound, you know. Reality is virtual now. If you’re not jacked in, you’re not alive.”

“Thank you, Bret, for making us sound insane.” Ms. Hill chuckled. 

“You sound like you’ve been living in  _ Ready Player One _ , bro.” Clint looked at Bret.

“Maybe I am.” Bret smiled at Clint. 

Clint rolled his eyes and moved onto the next box of books. 

“Alright, Joe, Bret, we’re done for the day. We can finish this up tomorrow.” 

Joseph and Bret nodded while Tony continued. “I’m gonna finish this up, if that’s okay.” 

“Thanks.” Maria smiled down at Tony. 

Tony pulled a book over to himself as Coulson went into his office. Clint grabbed his bag and asked, “I’ll see you at home tonight?”

Tony nodded. “You gonna hunt?” 

Clint nodded. “Probs. 

Maria looked at Coulson as Clint left and Tony typed. “Hunt?”

“Oh, who knows with those boys.” Coulson said. “I’m going to be back in the middle ages.” 

“Did you ever leave?” Maria smirked and then left.

Coulson stopped and shook his head before he went back into the library. 

{----------}

“Tony! Tony!” Clint screamed down the hallway of the school. He ran and finally caused Tony to jump. 

“Jesus, I didn’t see you there.” Tony rubbed his chest. “Gonna give me a heart attack one day.”

Clint rolled his eyes. “I wanted to see if you were good. You were up all night.”

“Oh, I was talking.” 

“To . . .?” Clint asked. Tony just shrugged. “You have a secret, Anthony Edward Stark, and that’s not okay.”

“Why not?” Tony laughed.

“Cause . . . there’s a rule.” 

“Okay, fine. I kinda met someone.”

“Who?” Clint smiled. “When? What?”

“After we did all the scanning for Coulson last week.” Tony opened his locker and put a few books away and grabbed two. 

“Well, what are they like? Do they go here? Their name?” Clint asked.

Tony shut his locker there. “He’s sweet. No. Mal.” Tony answered.

“Wow. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. Like, we live in the same house down the hallway from each other.”

“You didn’t tell me about Bucky.” Tony retorted.

“I didn’t know what Bucky was to me.” 

“And what is Bucky?” Tony pried.

“Oh no, we are not going there.”

“We are, Clint something Barton. Why do you know my full name, but I don’t know yours? That’s not fair.”

“My full name is not important here. Mal is.”

The two of them started to walk down the hall. “He’s smart, Clint, and he’s sweet, and we agree on a lot of things.”

“That’s good. Any pics? And I don’t mean dick pics.” 

Tony pushed Clint away as they walked into the computer room. “No pics yet. I’m sorry. Moment I get one, I’ll show you.”

“You better.” 

Ms. Hill walked in then and looked at Clint. “Clint, how can I help you?” 

“Don’t worry Ms. Hill, getting out of your and Tony’s hair now. See ya around.” Clint looked at Tony before he walked out of the room. His phone buzzed. It was a screenshot of Tony’s latest message from Mal. Mal had sent him, ‘thinking of you.’ It was disgusting. Clint chuckled and walked to his own class. 

{----------}

Clint walked over to Steve later as he saw Tony bubbly walk away. “He’s perky. It’s sweet, but creepy all at once.” 

Steve nodded. “It’s not who he is. I don’t like it. He doesn’t want to go to SHIELD tonight. He’s always up for SHIELD.”

“You’re jealous.” Clint said as they started to walk toward the lunchroom. 

“What? No, I’m not. Why would I be?”

“Because Tony’s got a thang, and you’re not part of that thang.” Clint smiled at Steve. 

“I’m not interested in Tony like that.” Steve rushed out.

“Oh yeah.” Clint chuckled as Natasha joined them. 

“What’s happening?” She asked.

“Steve’s jealous of Tony’s thing with this dude online.” Clint clarified.

“Ooh, because he likes Tony.” Natasha smiled at Steve.

“I don’t!” Steve shook his head.

“He does. It’s cute how he blushes. Even his ears turn red.” 

Steve turned and looked back at them. “Are we going to SHIELD tonight, or are you busy?” 

Clint nodded, “We can go. I’m free. Tasha will also come so we can make fun of you.”

“Oh, completely.” Natasha smiled.

“I hate you both.” 

{----------}

Clint sat in the locker room as Tony ran into it. “Dude, it’s fifth period. I saw you still talking to Mal at one when I got back this morning.”

“It just happened. Sorry.” Tony said, as he pulled stuff out of his locker. 

“It’s not you, Tony.” Clint shrugged. “I’m just worried.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Clint, I appreciate your worrying, but you don’t have to. I just lost track of time. It won’t happen again.”

Clint nodded. “Alright.”

Toy sighed and dropped onto the bench across from Clint. “Why can’t you be happy for me?”

“I am happy. Just . . .”

“Just what?” 

“I want you to be sure, know him face to face, in daylight… with friends … in a crowded place.” Clint said. 

Tony sighed, “It’s not a big deal if I blow off a few classes.”

“I thought you said you overslept.” 

Tony shook his head and walked off. 

After gym class, Clint went to the computer lab and saw Joseph there. “Hey.”

Joseph jumped and then looked over. “Hey, what do you want?” 

“I wanted to ask you about finding someone if they sent me an email. How do I trace the letter?” Clint asked.

“You can find their information on their account.” 

“But they write them themselves.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Just see, Tony has . . .”

“Leave Tony alone.” Joseph threatened Clint.

Clint blinked and then nodded. “Okay, never mind.” Clint hurried out of the lab and to the library where Coulson and Natasha were. 

“Tasha!” He pulled Natasha away from Coulson. “Can you hack into an email account or something?” 

She nodded. “Mal?” 

Clint nodded. 

The two of them walked back to the main library and sat down at the computer. Natasha started to type as Coulson looked at the two of them.

“What are you two up to?” 

“There's something about Mal that I don’t like. Tony blew off classes today. That’s not Tony. There’s something up with Mal. Also, when I asked Joseph about it, he snapped at me to leave Tony alone. Something is up, Coulson, and I don’t like it.”

Coulson blinked at him. “Tony cannot just have a crush?”

“Not like this.” Clint said.

“Then, I guess you can tail Joseph and see if he’s up to something.”

Clint nodded. “I like that idea. Keep me updated with what you find?” Clint straightened up and grabbed his phone and jacket. 

“Of course.” Natasha said as she kept typing.

{----------}

Clint tracked Joseph from school to an old building with CRD on the side, Calax Research and Development. He saw Joseph talk to someone standing guard outside the door and then walked in. 

Clint went back to school and saw Natasha still on the computer with Steve next to her. “CRD. Whatever the fuck that is.”

“Calax Research and Development. It’s a computer research lab. It was one of the largest employers in Sunnydale til it closed down last year.” Steve said. 

Clint shrugged. “Huh. It looked pretty fucking functional when I was there.”

“What does Joseph have to do with that place?” Natasha asked “I mean, he’s smart but still.” 

“Something’s wrong. My spider sense is tingling.”

“What?” Coulson asked as he walked into the room. 

“Pop culture, Coulson. Watch some TV now and then.” Clint smirked at his watcher. 

“Well then, Clint, I guess you need to break into the place.” Coulson said. 

“It’s a plan.” Clint nodded.

“I’m free.” Steve said.

Natasha looked up and nodded. “Tonight it is.” 

“I did mean that as an actual plan, Clint.” Coulson stared at him. 

Before any of them could answer, Ms. Hill walked into the room. “I’m just checking out the new database. You probably haven’t touched it yet, Coulson.”

“I am. It’s good.” Tasha said. 

Hill looked at Steve, Clint, and Natasha who were all huddled around the computer Tasha was on. “You three really like the library.”

“Just wait til Tony gets here; it’s a party!” Clint joked. Natasha slapped him, and he rubbed his arm. “Ow.” 

“Idiot.” Natasha rolled her eyes and went back to the computer. 

The three of them looked over the schematics and anything else Natasha could find about CRD. Coulson and Hill started to bicker about books and computers shortly after. 

“This book doesn’t have a whole lot to say.” Hill said, opening a book. Clint recognized it as one that Tony dealt with last week.

Coulson grabbed the book and flipped through it. 

“What, is it like a diary?” 

Clint saw Coulson gulp and then nod. “Yes, a diary I believe.” He closed the book and then headed towards his office. “It was nice talking to you.” They all heard the door shut.

“We were fighting.” Hill said and then walked out of the library. 

Natasha, Steve, and Clint looked between then and then shrugged. “I’m gonna go home and grab some stuff before hitting CRD tonight.” 

Clint had just stepped out of the school when he saw Joseph running over to him. “Clint!”

“Joe, what’s up?”

“Sorry about yesterday, I haven’t been getting much sleep lately.”

Clint shrugged. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Tony was looking for you. He said he was gonna be in the locker room.”

Clint furrowed his brow but nodded. “Thanks.” Clint watched Joseph go before he spun around and walked back into the school. He entered the locker room a few minutes later and looked around. No one was there. 

“Tony!” He called out as he slowly walked around the room. He spun around when he heard a shower turn on. “Tony?” He walked to the shower, but no one was there. Clint turned the water off. He saw wires on the ground and jumped up and held onto an exposed beam into the locker room just as the water hit the wires. 

Clint ran to the library once he was back on solid ground. “Joseph just tried to kill me.” 

“What?” Steve asked. He was flipping through the empty book Coulson was enamored with earlier. 

“Are you okay?” Coulson asked. 

“Jumped out of the water before I got fried.”

“Why would Joseph want to kill you?” Natasha asked.

“He was being severely overprotective of Tony the other day when I questioned him about the emails.” Clint said.

“The book in Steve’s hand, does it look familiar?” Coulson asked.

“It’s the book Tony was dealing with the other day while Hill and the computer nerds were helping with the database.” Clint said. 

Coulson nodded. “In the dark ages, the souls of demons were sometimes trapped inside books. The remained trapped within, harmless, unless the pages were read aloud. This is Malekith, the Dark Elf.”

“Malekith is inside that book?” Steve asked as he flipped through the pages. “‘Cause it looks empty.”

“I believe when Tony scanned the book, Malekith got out.” 

“Onto the internet?” Natasha asked. “That’s bad. That means he can be everywhere, get any piece of information he wants.” Natasha started to type something and then froze. 

Coulson came over as Clint, and Steve crowded Natasha. 

“Stay away from Tony. It is none of your business.” A demon with dark eyes and pointed ears said.

Clint sighed. “So that’s what Mal looks like. Ugly.” 

“How do we stop him?” Steve asked as he looked at the others. “Tony’s probably talking to him right now.” Steve shook a little at that thought. 

Clint stood and walked out of the library and right to the computer lab. He turned on the light and froze. “Dammit, Joe.” Joseph was hanging from the ceiling, a note pinned to his shirt.

He walked back to the library to see Steve pacing, on his phone.

“What did you find?” Natasha asked.

“Joe’s dead. Looks like suicide.” 

“With help?” Natasha asked. “His friends?”

“Probs Bret. Or the zombies that are also working at CRD. Steve, Tash, we’re gonna go search Tony’s room and lab. Coulson, figure out how to get Malekith out of the net. Get Hill if you need to.” 

“How am I going to convince her that there’s a demon in the internet?” Coulson asked as he arched an eyebrow. 

Clint shrugged. “I don't know, figure it out. I’ve gotta go save Tony from a dark elf. Jesus Christ.” Clint grabbed his jacket as Steve and Natasha followed him out. 

{----------}

Clint parked the car and hopped out, seeing the door was cracked open. “Shit.” He ran inside with the others behind him. He ran to the lab and saw a computer screen on. 

“‘No more waiting, I need you to see me’.” Clint looked at Steve. “See him how?”

“I don’t know, but it’s got to be at CRD. That’s where you saw Joseph go into the other day.”

“That’s our best lead,” Natasha said, “Malekith central most likely.” 

“Okay, let’s go.” 

{----------}

The three of them sat outside of CRD, looking around. Clint pulled out his phone and dialed Coulson.

“Clint?” 

“Yep.” They watched as armed guards marched around.

“Tony?”

Clint sighed. “He wasn’t at home; he got taken. We’re at CRD. Whatever Malekith wants Tony for, it’s here.”

“Ms. Hill and I are working to get Malekith offline.”

“Good. Hurry it up. We’re gonna go in and get Tony out. And I’ll kill Malekith if I have to. I don’t care what you say.” 

“Of course.” Coulson said.

Clint hung up and looked at Natasha and Steve. “Follow me, watch out, and keep quiet.” 

They nodded. Clint gave them a hand over the fence before he hopped over it. They slipped through the backdoor before they slowly made their way through the empty halls.

Clint took care of the few guards that they ran into. They snuck into the security office, and Steve looked over every monitor. 

“Tony.” 

“Who’s with him?” Clint asked.

“My guess, they made a body for Malekith.” Natasha shrugged.

“Shit.” Clint sighed. 

Before they could leave the room, an alarm started and red lights flashed. “We lost the element of surprise, boys.” Natasha said. 

The three of them took off running, towards Tony. 

“Let me go.” They heard Tony growl from behind a door.

“But I . . .”

“Don’t you fucking say that. It’s a joke.” 

“You’re mine.” 

“No, I’m not.” 

Clint pounded on the door but couldn’t get it to open. 

A few seconds later, Tony burst out of the door, and Clint stared at the metal monster that was Malekith. 

Malekith started to freeze then and writhe like he was in pain. 

“Come on, Coulson.”

“Noo.” Malekith's voice started to cut off towards the end. 

“Let’s go.” Tony said.

The four of them nodded and ran. A few corridors later, Clint stopped, listening to something. 

“Clint!” 

Malekith crashed through a wall then, sending Clint backwards into a wall while the others tried to dodge flying debris. A chunk of cement hit Steve in the ribs. 

“I was omnipotent, everything. They feared me. But now I’m trapped here.” Malekith turned towards Clint, who was struggling to stay away. 

“Mal!” Tony yelled. Tony grabbed a fire extinguisher and hit Malekith in the chest, over and over, while Natasha ran to Clint.

“Clint?” 

He nodded as he slowly stood. “I’ll be okay.”

“Tony!” Steve’s voice pulled Clint from his own pain. He saw Tony crashing into a wall, Steve running over to check on him. Clint looked around and smiled. He walked a few steps over, wobbling, and then called for Mal.

“Take your best shot, fuckface.” 

Malekith reared back for a punch and then swung. Clint stepped away and pushed Natasha down just as Malekith’s metal hand hit the power junction box. Sparks shot everywhere. Malekith writhed in pain before he exploded. His hand landed in front of Tony. 

“Ew.” Tony said as he curled closer to Steve.

{----------}

The four of them sat outside of the school, Steve rubbed his bruised ribs while Tony looked around.

“Wanna go to SHIELD tonight? It’ll be fun!”

Clint shook his head and Steve sighed.

“I think tonight is a stay inside kind of night, Tony. Movies, pizza, and sugar.” 

Tony nodded. “Okay, I understand. That actually sounds like a good idea.” 

Clint nodded. “I say we watch something that’s the farthest from horror and AI that we can find.”

“So Disney?” Steve asked.

The four of them shrugged. 


	9. The Puppet Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang is forced to deal with the school's talent show.

Clint, Natasha, Steve, and Tony walked into the auditorium and saw Coulson sitting in the terrible seats, watching a few students warm up for the talent show auditions. Sharon was badly singing some song while Cameron was with his dummy. 

“Thank you, Sharon.” Coulson squeezed the bridge of his nose. “That will be lovely.” 

“I didn’t get to the sparkler part.” 

Clint looked over at the others, and they shrugged.

“Well, we’ll save that for the dress rehearsal. Mia, you’re next.” 

Sharon frowned before exiting stage right. Mia set up her flute then and started to play.

“This is terrible. Why do we care about their talents?” Clint asked.

“I don’t care.” Natasha sat next to Clint, who had sat in front of Coulson. 

“I had to see this - Coulson directing the talent show.” Tony almost giggled as he jumped over the back of a seat to sit next to Coulson.

“How’d you get this assignment?” Steve sat behind him. 

“The new dictator - Mr. Sitwell.”

“I thought that they were called ‘principals’ now?” Clint looked at Natasha, who just shrugged at him.

“Tomato, Tomahto.” 

“He thought that I should have more contact with the students. I did try to tell him that I was a librarian to minimize said contact.” Coulson sighed

“Coulson, unto every generation a librarian must run the talentless show. No way in escaping your destiny.”

“I should have had you four sign up.”

Tony laughed, and Steve shook his head. 

“Yes, because I’ll kill vampires, Tony will write some new code, Steve will do whatever he does, and Natasha will just glare at people. Sounds like a great talent show.” Clint rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, we’re gonna let you do this pointless show.” Tony chuckled as he patted Coulson on the shoulder.

“So, you four think that school events are stupid?” 

“Principal Sitwell.” Steve smiled.

“Nope.” Clint said. 

“And you think, Mr. Barton, that afternoon classes are optional.” Sitwell glared down at Clint, who simply blinked up at him.

“Well you see, after I eat, I get sleepy.” 

“You need to integrate into this school, Mr. Barton. You’ve been here almost three months, and yet you’re already causing trouble and only have a few friends.”

“I like small circles.” Clint shrugged.

“Mr. Coulson, I believe I have just found four eager participants.” 

Coulson snorted while looking at the clipboard in his hands.

“What?” “No.” “Please no.” “Can I just get detention instead?” 

“I think the four of you will come up with a wonderful act.” Sitwell looked up at the stage just as Mia was finishing up her routine. “Maybe you can top that.” He nodded at them and then left.

The four of them settled into their seats, as Coulson called Cameron onto the set.

“Ew, dummy.” Natasha said.

“Ew, mime.” Tony looked off to the side.

“Dummies give you the wiggins?” Clint laughed.

She nodded. “Saw one, didn’t like it, still don’t like them.” 

“Hi, I’m Cameron, and this is . . . Stakar.” He tried to throw his voice, but Clint could see his lips move. 

“Wow, terrible.” 

“Cameron, would you like to tell some jokes?” “You know it.” Cameron started his routine.

“I feel embarrassed for him.” Tony looked away.

“Kid, you are the worst. Even I can see your lips move.” said a deeper voice from Stakar.

Clint squinted. That wasn’t Cameron’s voice. Not at all.

“Stakar, you’re spoiling my act. I worked on this for weeks.”

“Well, it’s terrible.”

People all around the auditorium started to laugh, and Cameron looked terrified.

“See, I’m sure you four can come up with something like this . . . exciting.” 

Stakar looked at Clint and smiled. 

{----------}

Clint sat on the steps up to the stage while the other three looked at the play book in their hands. Natasha had quickly found copies of a play version of ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ 

“Umm, has anybody seen a rabbit?” Kaecilius asked as he ran around the stage. 

“I can’t do this.” Tony exclaimed.

Clint shrugged. “It could be worse.”

“How? At least you’re a cool character. I’m the March Hare.” Tony sighed. “I may not have a lot of pride, but I have enough. I can’t do this.” 

He grabbed his things and then left.

Steve sighed. “Can’t we do anything else?”

“Oh yeah, as I told Coulson before, I can slay some vamps on stage.” 

“Maybe make it funny.” Natasha said as she sat next to Clint. 

“Yeah, that’ll make it so much better.” Clint rolled his eyes. 

“What happened to good old detention?” Steve asked as he sat on the ground across from Clint and Natasha.

All of a sudden, someone wolf-whistled behind them. Clint glared at Cameron.

“It wasn’t me.” 

“Oh really?” Natasha asked. “Because I don’t think Stakar did it.” 

“Where’d you get that voice anyways?” Clint asked.

“Imitation of my dad.” Cameron said as he backed up a bit. 

“It’s real, kids. I’m the one with talent.” Stakar smiled.

“Whatever.” Clint said as he grabbed his bag and then started up the aisle to the doors.

He walked past Coulson and Sitwell who had just stepped in.

“Mr. Barton?” Sitwell asked.

“I gotta pee.” 

“I hate kids.” Sitwell muttered as the door started to close behind Clint.

{----------}

After lunch, the four of them sat around the table in the library as Coulson walked in. “It was Sarah.”

“Dancer Sarah?” Tony asked.

He nodded. “It must have happened after rehearsals last night. She never showed up for her sports meeting last night.”

“Vampire?” Steve asked.

“No.” Coulson shook his head.

“Why not?” Clint leaned closer to him.

“Her heart was removed.”

“Ew.” Tony wrinkled his face.

“There’s a few demons which feed off hearts.” Clint supplied.

“There was a large knife at the scene.” Coulson sat at the end of the table, the four kids looking at him.

“Not a demon. Human.” Clint said.

Coulson hummed, “Evidence points that way.”

“Have I ever said, I hate this school.” Tony sighed and leaned his head sideways onto Steve’s shoulder. 

Clint shook his head. “Hellmouth, demon. Gotta be. I know everything says differently, but I got a gut feeling, Coulson.”

“Investigate then. Start with your talent show costars.” 

“Not it for Cameron.” Tasha touched her nose. Steve and Tony quickly followed suit.

“Really, the last nose goes?” Clint sighed as he stood. “Fine.” 

{----------}

Clint slipped into the auditorium an hour later and saw Stakar on a stool, facing into the wings of the stage. 

“We gotta be on the lookout.” Stakar’s deep voice said. “Who’s gonna be next?”

“What? How?” Cameron asked as he stepped into view. “Clint, hey. I didn’t know you were there.” 

“That was some good voice throwing. You’re getting better.” Clint smiled as he walked up onto the stage.

“Thanks. Can I help you?”

Clint shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. “Did you see anything weird yesterday, with Sarah?”

Cameron gathered Stakar up. “What do you mean?” 

“Did she say anything weird to you? Did you see her arguing or acting strangely yesterday?” 

Cameron walked off the stage and towards the seats. “No, she was just dancing.” He opened a large case. “Stakar and I were just talking.” 

Clint nodded. “Okay. So, nothing weird?” 

Before Cameron could respond, he pressed his palm to his forehead. 

“You good?”

“Look, handsome, he answered your questions. Leave him alone.” Stakar said from inside the case. 

Cameron looked up then. “Yeah, just a migraine.” 

Clint nodded. 

“He’s not gonna say anything else.” Stakar said.

“Shut up.” Cameron hissed.

Clint jumped down from the stage and held his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t mean to make you mad, Cameron.” 

“No, I’m just . . . It’s Stakar. He’s . . .” Cameron furrowed his brow and bit his lip. “We have to go.” Cameron quickly closed the case with Stakar inside and bolted out of the room.

Clint hummed before he made his way back to the others. 

{----------}

Clint walked into the library when he heard Steve, “Everyone was pointing the finger at the same guy then.”

“Cameron?” 

Everyone looked at him. 

Natasha nodded, “Yep.” 

“So, how do we take care of him then?” Tony asked. “We can get Steve to wear a wire! Sting operation! Always wanted to do one.”

“Whoa, I don’t think Cameron’s behind this.” Clint sat on the table, earning a side-eye glare from Coulson.

“Why not?” Coulson put down his book. 

Clint shrugged. “He doesn’t seem like a murderer. And I know it’s a ridiculous thing to say, I know, but there’s something.”

“He talks to his puppet, and his puppet talks back.” Tony said.

“Demon theory?” Clint looked at Coulson. “Demon in the puppet?”

Coulson sighed. “I’m looking into it, but Sitwell is getting in the way with our life in the theatre.”

Clint blinked and started to teeter his hands, “Talent show? Murder?”

“Yeah!” Tony stood. “With the murder of a fellow student, I just can’t go on with the show.” 

Steve, Natasha, and Clint looked at Tony then. Tony looked around, “What?”

“Well, Sitwell is watching us all very closely. He can make our lives difficult if he wants to. And a slayer,” He looked at Clint, “cannot afford that. We will find those responsible, but the show has to happen, unfortunately.” 

“Unfair.” Tony dropped into his seat like a sack of potatoes.

“I’ll break into his locker, see if there’s something.” 

“I’ll get his number.” Natasha said as she started to type on the computer. 

“Can we still get Steve to wear a wire?” Tony pointed at the man in question.

“I’m not wearing a wire. Shut up.” 

{----------}

After school, Clint went to locker 512. He started to spin the lock and was just about to open it when he heard a voice behind him.

“Mr. Barton, how can I help you?”

Clint spun around. “Looking for something.” 

“School hours are over, therefore, you should be gone. And if I remember correctly, this isn’t your locker.”

“Cameron forgot his science book,” Clint pulled it out, “and he knew I was gonna be in the area, so he asked if I could bring it to him.” He shrugged at Sitwell then. 

“There are some things I will not tolerate: students here after school, horrible murders with hearts being removed, and smoking.” 

“Well, I don’t do any of those things soo. . .” Clint lied through his teeth.

“There’s something about you, Mr. Barton. I’ll figure it out sooner or later.” Sitwell blinked. “And it looks like you’ve got what you came for.”

“I did.” Clint smiled before he closed the locker. “I’ll see you around tomorrow, Principal Sitwell.” 

Clint turned and walked away, not letting Sitwell have the last word.

{----------}

Clint sat on his bed, flipping through his own science book, trying to get homework done. He sighed after reading the same sentence four times. He closed the book and pushed it away from him. 

“Not interesting?” Bucky asked from the balcony. Clint had left the door open a little bit, letting the fresh air in.

Clint looked up and shook his head. “Can’t focus.” 

Bucky nodded as he leaned against the door frame. “I heard about the talent show and the murder at the school. Sounds human.” 

Clint nodded and stood. He walked closer to Bucky. “It does, but something doesn’t sit right in my gut.” He leaned against one of the glass doors a few feet from Bucky.

Bucky nodded. “Demon?” 

“Or something, I don’t know. It’s been bothering me.” 

“I see. I heard that you and the others are forced to do something for the show.”

Clint groaned. “Don’t remind me. Natasha picked the scene from Alice in Wonderland with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare party scene. Tony absolutely hates it.”

Bucky smirked. “Who is he portraying?” 

“The hare. Steve’s the dormouse, I’m the Mad Hatter, and Tash is Alice, of course.”

“I wish I could come see it.”

“Oh, you so don’t want to.” Clint laughed. “It’s horrible, really.” 

Bucky smiled. “I’ll take your word for it. I’ll keep my ears open for you, though. Let you know if something’s around.” 

“You and your mysterious warnings?” 

Bucky nodded, and he stood up straight. “Get some sleep, Clint.”

“I will. Thanks, Bucky.” 

“Night.” Bucky turned then and jumped over the railing and landed below. 

“You’re gonna break something!” Clint called out to him before he turned around and closed the door, locking it behind him.

{----------}

Clint woke to light but quick footsteps around his room. He cracked an eye open as he heard more footsteps. Something was in the room. Clint turned onto his back just as something small jumped onto him with a knife. Clint grabbed Stakar by the neck and grabbed Stakar’s wrist. He got ahold of the knife before throwing Stakar into the wall across from him. 

He jumped out of bed, ready to throw the knife. He looked over to the wall, but Stakar was gone. 

“What the fuck?” He looked around. There was no sign of the dummy anywhere. One of the windows was open though, and he could have sworn he had closed it. He closed and locked the window and checked the other ones before putting the knife on his bedside table. 

{----------}

In the morning, Clint walked into the auditorium to Sharon squabbling with Coulson. Clint waved, and Coulson nodded at him, before Clint grabbed Natasha, Steve, and Tony and pulled them out of the room. 

Coulson met them in the library a few minutes later. “Clint?”

“Where’s Cameron?” Clint asked.

“I haven’t seen him.” Coulson said. The others shook their heads. 

“Are you okay? What happened?” 

“Stakar was in my room last night with a knife.” 

Coulson looked right at Clint, “Are you okay?” 

“And so was Cameron?” Tony asked, pulling out his phone.

“I’m fine. And no, it was just Stakar, alive.” 

“Are you sure?” Tony asked.

“Yes, I’m fucking sure, Tony.” Clint snapped. “Shit, sorry. I was face to face with him, and he had this big ass knife. It’s in my room if you want to see it.” Clint leaned against the wall. 

“You sure it wasn’t just a nightmare?” Steve asked as he rested his hand on Clint’s shoulder.

“Yes, I’m fucking sure. I know when I’m awake and something’s trying to kill me.” 

“None of the cameras caught Stakar sneaking into the house with a huge knife. Bucky was on your balcony though, looks like you were having a lovely chat.” 

Clint sighed. “Never fucking mind.” Clint turned around and left the room. He was going to figure this out. 

{----------}

After school, Natasha pulled Clint into the library where Tony and Steve were staring at Stakar, who had been placed in a seat. 

“What?” 

“Mrs. Jensen took it from Cameron in history class so I’m borrowing it. Let's you talk to Cameron alone.” Tony said. “Sorry about earlier. “

Clint nodded. “Thanks.” He looked at Stakar and frowned before he left to find Cameron. 

Clint wandered around the auditorium, looking for him. He checked backstage and even under the stage, but didn’t see him anywhere. Once Clint got back on stage, Sitwell was standing in one of the aisles.

“Principal Sitwell, how can I help you today?” 

“Looking for something, again?”

“Have you seen Cameron Klein?” Clint jumped off of the stage.

“It’s not safe to be here alone.” 

Clint squinted at Sitwell. “I can take care of myself.” Clint brushed past Sitwell and out of the auditorium. He walked around the school but still nothing. He went back behind the stage, and he heard something scampering around.

“I’m not in the mood.” He walked closer and saw Cameron there, with the top half of his head cut off by a guillotine. “Shit.” 

He stepped back and heard something snap above him. The iron chandelier was falling.

{----------}

Clint woke up and saw Stakar running towards him. He tried to push the chandelier off, but everything hurt. Stakar pounced on him, but Clint was able to fling him off. He slid out from underneath quickly, grabbing the Swiss army knife in his pocket. 

He heard more scrambling and caught Stakar by the throat behind him. He held Stakar against the wall then. “Take your brain and heart and get the fuck out.” 

“You can move on now. You’ll never be human.”

Clint blinked. “What?” 

“What?” Stakar asked.

{----------}

Clint was sitting on the counter in the library as everyone stared at Stakar.

“I hunt demons. And yeah, you wouldn’t know it if you look at me. But this kid did,” Stakar said, looking at Clint. “I was once human and then there was this curse, and next thing I knew, I’m a dummy. I should have teamed up with you.”

“But you thought I was the demon.” Clint said.

“I mean, look at you. Strong, athletic, limber . . .” Stakar sighed. “The demon’s got a heart and a brain, he can keep its human form for another seven years now.” 

“It’s been nice to not have to explain this one.” Coulson sighed, getting Clint off the counter. 

“There were seven of these guys; I’ve killed six. If I can kill the last one, the curse will be lifted and I’ll be free. I know it’s someone in the stupid talent show.” Stakar said.

“Shit.” Coulson sighed. “It’s going to start soon, and I have to be there.” 

“If you call everyone backstage, we can see who’s missing. That’s probably who was the demon.” Steve said.

“That’s a good idea.” 

{----------}

Clint sat with Stakar up on the catwalk as they looked around the backstage, counting who was there and who wasn’t.

“So, what’s your deal? I wouldn’t have figured you as a demon hunter.” 

“I’m the Vampire Slayer.”

“You? Shit.” Stakar chuckled. “I met one in the ‘30s, some Korean chick.” 

Clint shook his head. “So, when you kill the demon and the curse gets lifted, it’s not gonna be happily ever after?”

“Nope, death. I’ve been alive a lot longer than I should have been.” Stakar said.

Clint nodded and looked down at the circle Coulson had formed. “Everyone’s there. Something’s wrong. They have their brain and their heart - they should be gone by now.” Clint stood and got down from the catwalk. He wandered around and looked through people’s things before he felt something slimy drip onto him from above. 

He looked up just to see a brain fall onto the floor. 

Clint ran to the library where the others were. “Check Cameron’s file.” 

Tony nodded and grabbed the computer before Natasha could. “Straight A student, taking some college classes. Huh.” 

“What?” Clint asked as he stood behind Tony.

“He’s been out on sick days for like half the year.” Tony opened the nurse’ file on Cameron then. “Dr. William Trees, California Institute of Neurosurgery, Cancer Ward is Cameron’s in-case-of-emergency contact.”

“Brain cancer?” Natasha asked. “Would explain the migraines.”

“The demon still needs a healthy brain.” Clint said. “And intelligent.” 

“So, I’m in trouble?” Tony asked.

“You’re fine.” Steve patted Tony’s head. 

“Hey!”

“Coulson isn’t though.” Clint sighed as he ran out of the library. The three of them followed and ran after Clint to the auditorium. 

Clint got into the room as he saw Coulson tied to the guillotine, Kaecilius over him. Clint ran over and tackled Kaecilius. 

Kaecilius growled and elbowed Clint in the face. 

Clint grabbed him by the neck and turned him around. There were black markings around his eyes. Clint made a face before punching him. 

Natasha got to her knees and started to pick the locks around Coulson. 

Kaecilius grabbed Clint by the throat and started to raise him up. Clint kicked him in the balls before he dropped onto the floor.

Stakar appeared, a knife in his hand, as he dropped onto the back of Kaecilius. “Found you.” He growled, driving the knife into Kaecilius’ back. 

Natasha and Steve pulled Coulson out of place before Clint kicked Kaecilius backwards. He stumbled and fell onto the guillotine. Tony let go of the rope then and let the blade fall, chopping off Kaecilius’ head. 

Coulson rubbed at his neck. “Good timing.”

Clint looked over and saw Stakar holding a knife over Kaecilius’ heart. 

“Gotta go for the heart too, or else he’ll come back.” Stakar plunged the knife into the demon’s heart then before dropping onto the floor. Stakar was free from his curse. 

Clint nodded. 


	10. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their worst dreams are coming true

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have the next two chapters already typed - they just have to be edited. 
> 
> I have to finish some school stuff, so season two will probably make an appearance around the end of July.

_Clint stepped into a candlelit room, something underground with a small water fountain in the corner. He gripped the stake in his hand tighter as he walked farther in. Clint heard a light footstep behind him. He spun around and was met with a red hand squeezing his windpipe. Clint dropped the stake as Red Skull lifted him up as if he weighed nothing. Clint pulled at Skull’s hand, but it didn’t budge._

_“No.” He muttered._

“Clint?” He heard his name being called. 

_“No. No.” He struggled against Skull’s hands._

“Wake up, Clint.” 

Clint bolted up and looked at Tony who was standing on the other side of the couch in Clint’s room.

“You okay? It sounded like you were having a nightmare.” 

Clint blinked and looked over at Tony. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. When’s school?” He ran a hand over his face.

“In forty, get ready. Steve asked for a ride.”

Clint nodded as he stood up. 

{----------}

“So, should I be looking for a new place for the weekend?” Clint asked as they walked up the steps to the school. “I mean, does your dad even know I exist?” 

“He kinda knows. Like, he knows I have a roommate and that they go to my school with me. But that’s all.” Tony shrugged.

“Oh, fun.” Clint yawned and then sat down. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Tony asked. “You looked terrified this morning.” 

“What?” Steve asked.

“He had some wicked nightmare. I mean, look. He’s practically shaking in the wind.” Tony pointed at Clint as he looked at Steve. “He won’t tell me what it was about.”

“He doesn’t have to.”

“I’m right here.” Clint looked up at Tony and Steve. “Ya know, the kids don’t like it when the parents bicker.” 

Natasha walked up then. “Tony’s totally the mother.” She leaned against Clint. “We have class in five, and I would rather not be late this time. Mrs. Forman already has it out for us.”

They got into the room when they saw Sharon glare at Dave. “Can you move?”

“What?” Dave asked and then looked down. “Oh, I’m sorry.” Dave sat down and made a face at Steve.

“Wow, how can you be so terrible?” Steve chuckled.

Sharon looked at them and sneered before going back to the makeup in her hand. 

Class started and Clint continued thinking of his dream until he heard someone scream.

“Get them off! Help!” It was Dave. “Get them off of me! Please.” 

Clint looked back and saw spiders crawling out of Dave’s textbook, dozens of them. Sharon was screaming the highest as she scurried away. 

Clint looked around before his eyes landed on a young boy in jeans and a shirt with brown hair and blue eyes. “Sorry.” The boy whispered.

Clint stood, but when he looked back at the door, the kid was gone.

“What . . .”

{----------}

After school, Clint sat in the library as he listened to the others talk about what happened with Dave.

“Ugh, I hate spiders. Furry little bodies, sticky webs, and all those legs.” Tony scrunched his face. 

“I like them.” Natasha smiled.

“Of course you do.” Tony rolled his eyes. 

“Coulson, did you find anything?” 

“Not yet, but I’m looking.” Coulson sighed. “You might have a better chance understanding this if you spoke to Dave himself.” 

Clint nodded. “Yeah, I can do that.” 

He grabbed his backpack and started out of the room.

“Is everything okay with him?” Natasha asked.

“I don’t know,” Clint heard Tony say. “He had some nightmare, woke up screaming, but he’s not talking about it.” 

Clint shook his head as he walked off to find Dave.

Dave was in the courtyard, sitting at one of the picnic tables. 

“Hey, Dave.” 

“Hey.” Dave smiled.

“How are you doing after earlier today?” Clint sat down across from him. 

“I don’t know. What do you want, Clint?” Dave asked.

“The spiders this morning.” 

Dave nodded. “I thought it was a dream, ya know. I’ve had it so many times. I used to own one, love them. My kid bro was supposed to watch them for a week while I was off at camp. I came home six days later, and he was dead. Bro didn’t turn off the light.”

Clint nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“The nightmares started after that. And that’s what I thought, like maybe I dozed off in class, but then everyone else started to scream.” 

“It wasn’t your fault, Dave. You did what you could.” Clint smiled. “Trust me, I know.” 

Dave nodded. “Thanks man.” 

“Of course. I’ll see ya tomorrow?” 

“Ya know it. And I promise I won’t stand in Sharon’s light.”

Clint snorted as he stood. 

{----------}

Clint walked into his English class the next morning and froze. Everyone else was there already in their seat, taking some type of test.

“Mr. Barton, you are half an hour late.” His teacher said.

“What? The bell just rang?” He looked around and saw the other students already halfway done with their tests. The clock on the wall said 8:20. 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Barton, but I have to give you a zero on today’s test.” The teacher smiled sadly before pushing Clint out of the classroom.

Clint looked around and saw the boy from yesterday. The kid looked sad before he walked away.

“Hey!” Clint turned the corner of the hallway. The kid was gone. “What the fuck?” 

{----------}

The next day, Coulson and Clint walked down the hall of the Sunnydale Hospital. 

“They said room 3016.” Coulson said as he pointed down the correct corridor. “Did you know the girl, Cindy?” 

“I mean, we spoke here and there. It said that nobody saw who attacked her?” Clint asked as he hunched his shoulders. He didn’t like hospitals.

“I’m hoping Cindy can.” They stopped outside of the room and Clint shook his head. Cindy laid in bed with cuts and bruises all over. She looked up and smiled. 

“Clint?” 

“Hey Cindy, I hope we’re not intruding.” Clint held out the small bouquet of flowers he had bought in the gift store.

“Thanks.” She smiled as she sat up a bit.

“Ms. Moon, I was wondering if you could tell us what happened. So this doesn’t happen again.” Coulson interjected as Clint sat in the chair next to Cindy. 

She nodded. “I was in the basement, went down for a smoke. There was someone else there with me. I didn’t get a good look at him.” She started to hyperventilate. 

Clint took her hand and squeezed. “It’s okay. Just if you remember anything, tell us. Even if it’s weird.” 

She nodded as a nurse walked in. “She needs to rest.” 

“I’ll see around, Cindy.” Clint smiled as he stood. 

“Lucky Nineteen.”

“Excuse me?” Coulson asked. 

“Right before . . . the man said ‘lucky nineteen.’ That’s weird?”

Clint nodded. “It is. Thanks.”

“Feel better Ms. Moon.” Coulson said as they left the room. 

They stood in the hallway. Coulson went to talk to the doctor. Clint overheard it.

“She’ll recover. She’s got a couple of shattered bones, some internal bleeding . . . In all though, she got off pretty easy.” 

“Easy?” Clint snapped. “Have you looked up the word?”

“The first one is still in a coma.” The doctor said. “They found him a week ago. Same MO, he’s in worse shape. He may never wake up.” 

Clint looked into the room that was next to Cindy’s and furrowed his brow. It looked like the same kid that he had seen twice. 

{----------}

Clint walked into the library a few minutes after Coulson, who was standing at the circulation desk rubbing his eyes. 

“Coulson?”

“Hmm?” Coulson looked up. 

“Any word?” Clint leaned towards him. 

“I don’t know.”

Clint blinked at Coulson. “Huh? Want to repeat that?” 

“I’m having a problem.” 

Clint froze and looked at him. “What do you mean? You never have problems. You are the problem-solver.” 

“I can’t . . . I can’t read at the moment.” 

“You read like seven languages. What do you mean, you can’t read?” Clint stood up and looked at the newspaper in front of Coulson.

“It’s gibberish. I can’t make heads or tails of this.” Coulson sighed. 

Clint gulped and looked at the paper in front of him. He looked down at the picture, “That’s him!”

“Who? What?” Coulson asked as he rubbed his forehead. 

“The kid I’ve been seeing, the one at the hospital who was beaten. ‘Ten-year-old Cooper Barton,’ huh, ‘was found beaten and unconscious after his little league game Saturday. His condition is critical.’ This is from last week.” Clint shook his head. 

“You said you saw him around school?” 

“Yeah, when Dave had the spider incident and when I was half an hour late for a class even though the bell just rang. How can this be possible?” 

Coulson sat down and blinked a few times. “I can see again. Beautiful.” 

“I know, thank you.” Clint smiled.

Coulson shook his head and looked back at the newspaper. “Astral projection could be a theory.”

“And a coma is like sleeping soo . . .”

“You could be seeing Cooper’s astral body. I’d have to look more into this. I have never come across this before.” 

{----------}

Clint sat in a chair around the main table, a book in his lap, when Tony rushed in and practically threw himself into Clint’s arms. 

“Well, hello.” Clint looked over at him and saw Tony sniffling. “What’s wrong?”

“Dad called. He’s not coming. He said some shitty things.” 

“Like?” Clint pulled Tony into an awkward hug. 

“Not now. Later?” Tony stood up. 

“Of course.” Clint nodded.

Tony wiped away the few tears before he sat down next to Clint. “Have you seen Natasha or Steve?” 

Natasha dragged Steve into the room; he was on edge. 

Tony looked at him, “Steve?” 

“I had this awful . . . I don’t know. The guy over the phone said my mother was dead, but I called the hospital. She’s fine. I guess the idea just shook me up. It was like a few of my dreams.” 

“Dream, like Dave and the spiders.” Clint muttered.

“Our dreams are coming true?” Steve asked.

“That would explain my dad issues.” Tony looked down at his lap. Clint reached over and grasped Tony’s shoulder. 

“Nightmares are more like it,” Coulson said.

“Cooper.” Clint said as he let go of Tony and stood.

“Umm, who’s Cooper?” Natasha asked.

“A boy in the hospital; he was beaten. He’s in a coma. I think he’s crossed over from the nightmare he’s in to this world.” Coulson said. “It would make the most sense.”

“And he brought the nightmare here? Gee, thanks Cooper.” Tony sighed.

“All thanks to the Hellmouth?” Steve asked.

“Most likely. And we’ll have to stop it soon. Or else everyone in Sunnydale will be facing their own worst nightmares.” 

Clint nodded and stood when they heard Sharon yell from outside. He ran out and saw that Sharon’s hair was a big frizzy mess. 

He looked around the halls when he saw Cooper standing by the gym. Clint ran after him. “Cooper?” 

Cooper stopped and looked back at him. 

“You’re Cooper Barton, aren’t you?” Clint caught up with him near the bleachers.

“Yeah.” he nodded. Cooper sat down then.

Clint sat next to him and smiled. “Why are you here? Did something bad happen to you after your game a week ago?” 

Cooper ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “I . . . I don’t remember.”

“Do you remember baseball?” 

“I played second base.”

“And you were lucky nineteen?” Clint smiled.

“That’s what he called me. The Ugly Man. He wants to kill me, and he hurt that girl.” Cooper started having trouble breathing then.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Clint pulled Cooper into a hug. “I’m gonna stop him, but first, I need you to answer a few questions.” 

Cooper nodded. 

“Why does he want to kill you?” 

Cooper froze and looked behind Clint. “He’s here.” 

Clint stood and spun around. A large man with a deformed arm swung a baseball bat at him. Clint jumped out of the way and glared at him. Clint kicked him in the jaw with a high kick before Clint jumped onto his other leg to kick the Ugly Man with his now free leg. 

The man grabbed Clint’s leg and threw him across the gym. 

Clint looked up and saw Cooper running away. Clint struggled to his feet, his ribs in pain and followed Cooper as fast as he could. 

“Cooper!” 

Clint rounded a corner and saw the door to the locker room open slightly ajar. He slipped in and looked around. Cooper was hiding in the back of the room, towards the showers. 

“Cooper.” 

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it.”

“Who is he? Who’s the Ugly Man?” Clint looked Cooper over. He knew the face Cooper was making all too well.

“No, he’ll find us. We have to hide.”

“Why?” Clint shook his head. 

“Because that’s how he finds us, when we hide.” Cooper snuffled. 

Clint nodded. “It’s gonna be okay, Cooper. I’m gonna get him.” 

Cooper nodded and grabbed Clint’s hand. 

Clint squeezed Cooper’s hand and pulled him out and headed towards the library. He paused when they stepped through a doorway and saw the baseball field across the road. 

“What?” Clint looked around.

Cooper wrapped himself around Clint then.

“That’s bothering you, isn’t it?” Clint rubbed Cooper’s back. “I promise, it’ll be okay.” 

“When you lose, it’s bad.” Cooper looked to the ground.

“You lost your game last week, didn’t you?” 

Cooper nodded. “My fault. I missed a ball, and I should have caught it.” 

Clint shook his head. “One missed ball does not mean that losing was your fault. Were you the only one playing? I don’t think so.” 

“He said it was my fault.” Cooper said as Clint started to pull him away from the field. 

“Who? Did that man hurt you?” 

The Ugly Man stepped out of the cafeteria, screaming.

“Clint!”

Clint picked up Cooper and ran the other away through some bushes. They burst through and into a cemetery. He set Cooper down then.

“What the fuck?” He looked around. They were in the clear. 

“What’s this?” Cooper asked.

Clint walked over and saw a freshly dug grave with lilies on the headstone. He looked up and saw his name etched into it. 

“What?” It had his full name and his birthdate and today’s date on it. Underneath his name and life dates was written, ‘The Amazing Hawkeye.’ His breath and his heart was caught in his throat. He backed away as he shook his head. “No, no.”

“Oh Clint, you’ve grown so much.” 

Clint spun around. Cooper was gone, but Lester had appeared. The man who had taught him how to shoot and showed him how to be an acrobat. “You’re dead.” Clint hissed at him.

Lester shrugged, “But not up there, I’m not.” 

“No.” Coulson whispered.

Clint looked back and saw Coulson, Natasha, Steve, and Tony looking at his grave.

“You didn’t kill me. I killed you. I have control of this.” 

“I failed . . in my duty. I should have been more cautious, more time to train you.” Coulson whispered.

Clint punched Lester, but when his hand was about to connect with Lester’s face, Lester vanished. He heard a thump on the ground, his old bow from when he was a child. A single arrow laid with it, covered in blood.

“Clint?” Natasha yelled.

Clint spun around and smiled. He ran over and hugged her. “I’m fine. I’m here. We have to find Cooper. I think I know who did all of this.”

“Maybe if we go to the hospital, see Cooper, we can get him to wake up. And this will be done?” Steve suggested. 

“Umm, guys, hospital came to us.” Tony pointed across the street. 

“I hate this world.” Steve sighed. 

The five of them ran into the hospital and to Cooper’s room. He laid there with tubes and wires everywhere. 

“We have to hide.” Cooper said.

The gang turned around, and Clint shook his head. He crouched down and looked at Cooper. 

“We don’t hide anymore. We face our fears.”

Cooper shook his head. “No.” 

“Cooper, to be brave, we face the scariest things. Not because we want to, but because it’ll help everyone around us. Trust me, I know. I’m scared of so many things, and I just got this amazing family. I’m afraid I’m gonna screw it up because I always push the people I care about away.”

They all heard a scream and saw the Ugly Man there. Clint grabbed Cooper’s shoulder and smiled. 

“You got this. You can do it.” 

Cooper nodded and stood in front of Clint, in front of the Ugly Man. “I’m not afraid of you.” Cooper said, his voice wavering. “I’m not afraid of you,” he said again. 

Clint nodded, “That’s it, buddy.” 

“I’m not afraid of you.” Cooper took a step towards him. “I’m not afraid.” 

A bright light appeared, and everything was back to normal. 

“He's waking up.” Tony smiled.

Cooper opened his eyes, and Clint smiled.

“I had a weird dream. You were in it.” Cooper said as he looked over at Clint. 

Clint smiled. “I’ll get the doctor.” 

The five walked out and Clint froze. He walked over to a large man and said, “Cooper’s awake. You blamed him.” 

The man was wearing a shirt of the little league that Cooper played for. “What?”

“You blamed him for losing the game. It was one ball.”

“It wasn’t my fault.” Cooper said, looking at the coach. “I’m not afraid of you.” 

Clint smiled and let the police and the doctors deal with it. 

{----------}

The next day, the five of them sat around the library.

“I can’t believe a dude who taught little league did that. Like Jesus,” Steve shook his head, “At least he’s behind bars.” 

“Clint, did you mean what you said to Cooper back at the hospital?” Natasha looked at him.

“Mmm?” 

“About pushing the people you love away?” 

Clint nodded. “I’ve been on my own for a long time, so I’m used to it.” He shrugged then.

Natasha pulled him into a hug, “You’re not allowed to leave.” 

Clint hugged back and nodded.


	11. Out of Ming, Out of Sigh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Invisibility turns campus life interesting

“Oh look, the weirdest person at this school.” Sharon smiled as she bumped into Clint, who dropped crosses, a mace, a few stakes, and along with books and what looked like a bottle of water.

Clint shrugged as he started to gather things up. “Well, at least my personality goes deeper than my looks.” 

“Watch what you’re saying,” Aaron sneered at Clint.

“So scary.” Clint rolled his eyes and he left them behind. 

“I honestly don’t know why this school admitted a lunatic like this.” Clint heard Sharon say. 

{----------}

Clint, Tony, Steve, and Natasha were sitting in the quad during lunch time when they saw Sharon walk around, handing out chocolate.

She wasn’t paying attention when she held some out to them. “Oh, nevermind. I don’t need your vote.”

Steve shrugged as Sharon walked away. 

“I don’t even like chocolate,” Tony called after her. “Oh, wow, that was the lamest comeback I’ve ever had. Wow.” 

Clint looked over at them. “Is being Spring Queen or whatever that important? It’s not like it comes with anything else.” 

“Yes, but Sharon loves royal titles.” Natasha said.

“Remember, in third grade?” Tony looked at Steve. 

“The antler dude.” Steve started to chuckle. 

“The hat.” Tony laughed as he almost fell out of his seat.

Clint looked at Natasha, “I love when they speak in tongues.” 

Natasha nodded. “Oh yeah.”

“You have to be there.” Steve shook his head, trying to stop laughing. 

“It’s not even that funny.” Tony stood and leaned on Clint. “Sharon has a long and complicated history of trying too hard.” 

Clint nodded. He looked over at Natasha. “You never were a Spring Queen, were you?” 

“No.” Natasha shook her head. “I was a cheerleader, never a queen. Anyways, everyone was scared of me.” 

“Holy shit!” Someone came running out to the quad. “Aaron got beat up. I think he might be dead.” 

Clint looked at the others and ran to the locker room. 

Sitwell was already there with paramedics. “He is not dead, calm down. Make room for him, all of you.” 

Clint slipped under the rope and made his way over to Aaron. 

“Aaron, what happened?” Aaron was covered in bruises and cuts on his face, along with a split lip. One of his eyes was swollen shut.

“I don’t know. I . . . I heard something. I turned around and there was just this bat floating in the air. It knocked me out.” Aaron coughed, and the paramedics pushed Clint aside and pulled Aaron away. 

Clint started to go into the locker room, but Sitwell stopped him. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Sitwell asked.

“I left something in there from gym earlier today.” 

“Well, you can grab it later when the cops decide that the locker room is off lockdown.” Siwell said.

“Did Aaron say he was gonna sue the school?” Natasha asked loudly.

“What?” Sitwell looked at Natasha and left Clint alone. 

Clint slipped into the locker room as Natasha, Tony, and Steve played to Sitwell’s fears.

Clint walked over to where he saw a broken baseball bat and dented lockers. Some of the doors were ripped off. On one of the lockers that still had its door, a message was written in large red letters: ‘LOOK.’

{----------}

“That’s all it said, ‘LOOK’?” Tony set his bag down on the table in the library.

“Look at what? Aaron?” Steve chimed in sitting down.

“Maybe. It’s a hell of a message, though.” Clint shrugged. “And monsters usually don’t send messages, ya know. They usually just kill and destroy. This is something else.” 

“I’d say you’re right.” Coulson walked down the steps. 

“I love it when you say that, Coulson. Got any ideas?” 

“Umm, if the bat itself was not possessed there’s a few things I can think of: telekinesis, an invisible creature, or possibly a poltergeist.” 

“Not the first time I’ve dealt with a ghost.” 

“This one would be very angry, Clint.”

Clint nodded. “Oh yeah, I’d say.”

“So, a dead kid?” Tony asked. “You know, there’s a lot of dead kids from this school.” 

“I can make a list of the kids.” Natasha said as she got up to go to the computer.

“I’ll research. Steve?” 

Steve nodded, “I can help. Tony?” 

“There’s homework, what?” Tony looked around at the others. Natasha was already typing away at the computer while Steve was getting comfy while opening a book. 

“Parts of the beautiful life of being a slayer or friend of a slayer.” Clint smiled. 

Tony looked over at Clint and squinted as Coulson set a book down. “What are you gonna be doing?” 

“This attack wasn’t random, Tony. I’m gonna go find out about him. Talk to his friends, Sharon.” 

Tony nodded and looked at the book in front of him. “So, this is the first book for me? How sweet, Coulson.”

Clint snorted as he got up and left. 

{----------}

Clint walked onto the balcony of the school when he saw Sharon and Rose talking. 

“Sharon, can I talk to you?” Clint started to jog over to them.

“Why is he always . . . uff.” Rose said as she jerked backwards and tumbled down the stairs. 

“Rose!” Sharon yelled as she and Clint ran down the stairs to check on her. 

Sitwell appeared and yelled, “Get the school nurse. Clear back, give her some air.” 

“I think my ankle is broken.” Rose whined.

“What happened?” Clint asked as he kneeled down.

“I’m the principal here.” Sitwell turned to Rose then. “What happened?” 

“She fell. We were standing at the top of the stairs, and she just fell.” Sharon cried. 

Rose shook her head. “No, I was pushed.”

Clint stood and looked around, a faint laugh towards his right. He looked over at the stairs and heard footsteps going up them. He followed. 

“Don’t sue,” Sitwell said as he caused Rose to scream.

Clint reached the stop of the stairs to see the doors he walked out of a few minutes later close. He slipped inside then.

“Is anybody there?” 

Something bumped into him, and the band room door opened. 

“Who’s there?” Clitn asked as he walked into the room. “I just want to talk to you, please.” He looked around, but the movement and the noises stopped. Clint scanned the area but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

He sighed and left the room. 

{----------}

Clint walked into the library the next day with a cup of coffee to see everyone around. “Coulson, have you ever touched a ghost?”

Coulson furrowed his brow and then shook his head. “No. From what I’ve read and heard, ghosts pass through you. It’s a cold feeling.

Clint nodded as he threw his bag on the table and then sat next to Natasha. “Well, there’s my problem. I touched a thing, but it didn’t go through me. It bumped into me. And she laughed.”

“An invisible girl on campus?” Natasha asked.

Clint nodded.

“Cool.” Tony said as he sat up from his slumped position.

“You’re gonna ruin your back.” Clint said before he looked back at Coulson. 

Coulson shook his head. “She could be a witch or have a cloak of invisibility, though that’s usually for the gods.”

“She’s kinda petty, it sounds like.” Natasha asked. “Rose and Aaron.” 

“Common denominator is Sharon.” Steve finally said something. He looked at Natasha. “Did you make that list?” 

Natasha nodded and then pulled out a large pile of papers. “This only goes back the last twelve months.” 

“Shit.” Clint sighed as he looked at a few of them.

“I’ll look into how to make an invisible person visible again.” Coulson said.

“What are you going to do?” Tony asked as he looked through the list of the missing.

“I heard that Sharon’s dress shopping tonight. There’s probs gonna be some action, so I guess I’ll hunt tonight.” Clint shrugged and tossed his empty coffee cup into the trash ten feet away.

“That’s still creepy.” Tony shook his head.

“How are you going to hunt someone you can’t see?” Steve looked over.

“I’ll listen.” Clint smiled.

{----------}

Clint walked around the school once the sun had set. Sharon was in one of the English classrooms with a few friends - all of them fussing over the dress. 

Clint shook his head and walked away, listening to his surroundings. A few steps away, he heard a flute start to play. He walked after it. He sighed. It stopped before he could find it. 

{----------}

The four of them stood in the back of the quad as Sitwell called Sharon up to the stage; she had won Spring Queen.

“I thought this happened at the dance.”

“That’s Prom Queen.” Tony said.

Clint looked at them, “There’s a difference?” 

Steve shrugged. “How was last night?” 

“A bust. But Sharon’s the key. I heard a flute playing last night. I heard it from the band room, but then it stopped before I could locate it.” 

“Did Sharon hire bodyguards?” Natasha asked as she pointed up the stairs. 

Two men in black suits were standing there.

Clint shrugged and looked through the list of missing people. “Hey. Maggie Lang, she went missing last spring. She played the flute.” 

“I don’t remember her.” Tony looked at the photo. 

“No idea.” Steve shrugged. 

“I’m gonna go look around the band room. I’ve been led there twice.” Clint stood and walked away after a quick goodbye to the others.

{----------}

Clint looked around the band room and stopped when he saw a chair with a boot print on it. He stepped onto it and looked up at the ceiling. There was a tile out of place. He lifted it up and climbed inside. He crawled around before he stopped. There was a small mattress with clothes and a stuffed bear. Clint cocked his head as he pushed a few sheets of music away and pulled out a yearbook. 

“So it is you, Maggie Lang. Nice to meet you.” 

Clint looked around and started back to the band room with the yearbook.

{----------}

“A nest, you said.” 

“Ha.” Tony chuckled. “You practically nest in the house.” 

Clint rolled his eyes. “Yeah. A bed, clothes, toys. I found this,” Clint pulled out the yearbook. “Maggie Lang.” 

Tony flipped through it. “‘Have a nice summer. Hope your summer is nice.’ She has no friends.”

Clint looked at him. “What?”

“‘Have a nice summer’ is what you say when you have nothing to say.” Natasha explained.

“Oh.” Clint nodded. “Did you guys ever meet her?”

Natasha shook her head, Tony looked lost, and Steve said, “No. Why?”

“Because you all wrote it.” He pointed out their signatures.” 

They all converged over the yearbook.

“‘Have a nice’ . . . shit.” Tony shook his head. 

“So none of you remember this girl?” Coulson asked as he walked into the room, handing Clint a cup of coffee.

Tony and Steve shook their head. 

“We each had three classes with her last year.” Natasha said as she looked at the computer.

“So, she turned invisible because no one noticed her?” Steve asked.

“Of course.” Tony said. “Quantum mechanics. Physics!” He smiled. “Reality is shaped by our perception.”

“And with the Hellmouth below us sending out mystical energy . . .” Steve looked at Tony.

“People saw Maggie as invisible, and so she became so.” Tony smiled. “This is fucking amazing!” 

“But we did this to her, Tony. This isn’t some great power.” Steve shook his head. “No wonder why she’s pissed.”

“And she blames Sharon?” Natasha looked around.

“I think so.” Clint nodded at them. He flipped the page to Sharon’s picture. It had been marked up.

Just then, the doors to the library burst open, and everyone looked over. Sharon had walked in, and she looked right at Clint. 

“I know we’ve had our differences, you being weird as shit and hanging out with these people. But somebody's after me. They just tried to kill Ms. Miller; she helped me with homework. And Aaron? And Rose? This is about me!” 

“Wow, she’s right for once.” Tony smirked.

“So, you came to  _ me _ for help?” Clint blinked and then looked around.

“I know, but you’re always around when all this weird stuff happens. You’re strong, you have these weapons . . . I was honestly hoping you were in a gang.” Clint stayed frozen, staring at her. “I don’t have anyone else to turn to, please.” 

Coulson stood and let Sharon sit. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.”

“I don’t like the library. It’s kinda creepy.” 

Clint looked right at Sharon. “You’re being attacked by an invisible girl named Maggie Lang. She felt invisible because you ignored her. She’s fucking pissed at you.” 

Sharon nodded. “Well, I don’t care. Just get rid of her.” 

Clint shook his head. “It’s not that simple, Sharon, she’s a person. It’s this girl.” He showed Sharon Maggie’s yearbook picture. 

“I’ve never seen her before.” 

A little later, with Sharon sitting around them staring at them talking, Coulson sighed. 

“‘Look’ and ‘Listen’ were the two messages from Maggie?” 

“And yet we don’t understand them.” Natasha said.

“Not yet.” Clint nodded. “Maggie’s not done. She’s gonna do something about Sharon winning Spring Queen.”

“At the coronation tonight?” Natasha asked. “We could keep her away from it.”

“No. I’m gonna be crowned tonight. If not, she won. I’m not allowing that to happen.” Sharon snapped at them.

“She has a point.” Clint sighed.

“Clint’s with me.” 

“We can use her as bait.” Clint said. “Draw Maggie out.”

“We’ll research again. Find a way to cure this.” Coulson went and got a few books. 

Clint followed Sharon to get her dress from where she was keeping it. 

“She became invisible because she was so unpopular?” 

Clint nodded at her. 

“That’s awful.” Sharon furrowed her brow.

Clint snorted.

“Look, I can be surrounded by people and be completely alone. None of them really know me. People just want to be popular, so they just agree with me. Don’t hear a word I say.” She sighed.

“Why do you work so much to be popular then?” Clint asked.

Sharon looked at him, “It’s better than being alone by yourself.” Sharon walked into an English room then, and Clint followed her.

Sharon changed in the closet of the room while Clint stood guard. He wandered around the room. “I know what you mean, being in a room and still feeling so fucking lonely.” Clint sat down.

“You were popular?”

“No, I didn’t have a normal childhood. But God, I was with people I thought of as friends then, and I still felt so lonely. Like something was missing.” 

Sharon didn’t respond. Clint looked around and knocked on the door to the closet.

“Sharon?” 

There was a muffled scream, and Clint kicked the door open. One of the ceiling tiles was out of place. He climbed into the ceiling and looked around. A few feet away, Sharon laid unconscious. “Shit.”

Clint was just about to move when he was kicked in the ribs. He slipped out of the ceiling and stumbled off of a table in the closet. He hit his head on the wall, and everything went blurry. He saw a needle come close and felt a prick in his neck. Everything went black.

{----------}

Clint woke up tied to a chair at SHIELD.

“Clint?” Sharon asked from out of his eyeline.

“Yeah?” Clint shook his head. “How do you feel?” 

“I can’t feel my face! It’s numb. What is Maggie doing?” 

Clint looked around and saw SHIELD all ready for the afterparty. The curtain on the stage had ‘LEARN’ written in glitter. 

“What does that mean?” 

Clint struggled against his bonds. “I’m not sure.” 

A tray wheeled in between Clint and Sharon. 

“I’m disappointed. I had hoped you would have figured it out by now.” Maggie said. 

“What do you want to teach me!” Sharon wailed.

“You’re not the student; you’re the lesson.” Maggie chuckled.

“What did you do to my face?” Sharon demanded through her tears.

There was a sigh, “Your beautiful face, that’s all that it’s about. That’s what makes you shine more than the rest of us. We want that: to be noticed. To be seen.” 

The cloth on the tray was pulled off, and Clint saw several surgical knives. 

Sharon gasped. “Please, no.”

“I’m gonna give them a face that they can never forget.” 

“Maggie, think about this. This is wrong.” Clint looked around.

“So what, you’re gonna slay me?” 

Clint felt a fist connect with his jaw. He huffed out a breath.

“You should have stayed out of my way. I thought you understood me, but you’re just like them.” She sighed and swung a knife at Sharon.

“No!”

“People will remember you for the rest of their lives,” Maggie chuckled as she swung the knife at Sharon, this time slicing Sharon’s cheek. “Children will have nightmares about you. Your friends will take this sight to their grave.”

Sharon started to cry even louder. 

“We’re gonna have to do it now. Local anesthetic’s gonna wear off soon. Your smile should be wider.” 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” 

“Oh yeah, I bet. You’re with all of your friends, and I lost all of mine. Because of you. You’re self-involved and a spoiled brat. I can see right through you, honey.” 

Clint struggled and broke the rope around his legs. He kicked the tray into Maggie, who stumbled back into the curtain. Clint ripped the rest of the ropes and stood. Before Clint could help Sharon, he was kicked away.

Clint shook his head. “At first, I was sorry for you. That you suffered and lost people you cared about. But now, not at all.” 

Clint was kicked in the ribs. Clint listened past Sharon’s screams and kicked. He hit something and saw the curtain move. He stood and swung blindly.

“I’m invisible, you moron. How are you going to fight someone you can’t see?” 

“Oh God, oh God.” Sharon wailed.

“Shut up, Sharon!” Clint yelled.

Sharon stopped and nodded.

Clint closed his eyes and listened. He could hear footsteps around him. A floorboard creaked, and Clint spun a kick and hit something. Maggie staggered back into the curtain, and Clint yanked it down. 

“I see you now.” 

Clint punched her, and Maggie went down. 

The door to SHIELD opened, and agents in black suits walked in. 

“FBI, don’t move!” One of them shouted.

“We’ll take it from here, sir.” Another one said, helping Maggie up to her feet. 

“Take what where?” Clint looked around as he helped Sharon.

“We’re here for the girl.” The one who had yelled ‘FBI’ at them. 

“Where the hell were you ten minutes ago when she was playing surgeon?” Clint argued.

“We got here as fast as we could.” 

Clint snorted. “What, you’re gonna cure her?”

“Rehabilitate her. In time, she’ll be a useful member of society again.” 

Clint watched as they led Maggie out of the building. “This isn’t the first time. There are others, aren’t there?” 

“We’re not at liberty to say.” 

“I’ll take that as a yes, then.” Clint shook his head. 

“Thank you for your help. Have a nice day.” 

They all left then, leaving Clint and Sharon alone.

“C’mon, Sharon. I’ll get you to the hospital.” 

Sharon nodded as she gripped Clint’s arm. 

{----------}

The next day, the team walked towards the library.

“How’d you get out of the boiler room, by the way?” Clint looked at Tony.

“Well when the gas was coming, we . . .”

“Janitor,” Natasha interrupted him. “He found us and shut the valve off.”

“We were lucky.” 

Clint nodded. “I’ll say.” 

Sharon stepped in front of them and looked at Clint. “I didn’t get the chance to say anything yesterday, but I wanted to say . . . thank you, all of you.” Sharon smiled, nodded, and then walked off.

“It looked like Sharon, but I don’t think so.” Tony looked at Clint.

Clint shook his head. “C’mon buddy, I’m starving, and Coulson has some weird theory to tell us about invisibility.” 


	12. Prophecy Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint faces off with Red Skull

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of Season One. Season Two will be coming out probably at the month or early August. I hoped you liked this.
> 
> Kudos and Comments are welcomed.

Clint fell back and hit the ground hard. He quickly jumped up and got into position. A vampire stalked towards him, and Clint pulled out a stake. Clint smirked as the vampire growled. The vampire launched himself, and Clint punched him in the face. As the vampire stumbled, Clint drove the stake into its heart. The vampire burst into the ash then. 

“Four in one night. What the hell?” Clint asked as he stretched his back and sides. 

He started to walk towards where he parked his own car when the ground started to shake. He steadied himself for a few seconds. 

{----------}

Clint walked into the library in the morning as Coulson walked out of the weapon closet. Part of the railing on the upper floor was broken along with part of the floor and the table was broken.

“It’s all structural. We good in here?” 

Coulson nodded. “Yes. We’re, we’re safe.” 

Clint looked at him, “Are you good? How much sleep did you get last night?” Clint jumped up and sat on the desk. 

“I’ve been working.” Coulson set a few books next to Clint.

“Me too. I went hunting last night. I killed four vamps, Coulson. Four. One of them was practically on school grounds.” Clint shook his head. “They’re getting braver, and I don’t like it.” 

“Yes.” Coulson nodded as he looked into the distance.

“Coulson, I’m putting my life on the line. Could you at least exhibit some interest? Go ‘hmm’ and talk about hitting the books and then making sure I’m not injured.” 

Coulson sighed. “I’m sorry. I'm glad you’re alright. I just . . . I need to verify something important.” 

“About Red Skull? We haven’t really heard from him in a while.” 

Coulson didn’t answer.

Clint shook his head. “Fine. I have to go meet my terrible fate.”

Coulson snapped and looked right at Clint. “What?” 

“My biology test, last one before finals.” Clint jumped to his feet before he left the room.

{----------}

After class, the four of them were walking down the school halls.

“That was so boring.” Tony whined as he leaned on Clint.

“I’m so sorry.” Clint rolled his eyes. 

Steve laughed. “So, how was last night?” 

Clint shrugged, “Four. They’re getting cockier. Coulson, though, can’t even seem to care. He’s too busy figuring something out.” 

“Are you okay?” Natasha asked as he grabbed his wrist.

“Small cut and a few bruises. I’ll be fine.” Clint shrugged. “But Coulson was so distracted. I’ve never seen that before. It’s weird, even for Coulson.”

“Maybe it was just the lack of sleep finally getting to him.” Steve said as they stepped outside.

“I don’t know.” Clint sighed as he leaned on Tony this time. Tony wrapped an arm around Clint’s shoulder and hugged him. 

“Don’t worry. Coulson will be okay, and he’ll be annoying you and us in no time. He probably read something wrong and is freaking.” 

Clint chuckled. “Yeah, maybe. I’m gonna hunt tonight again. More and more vampires are appearing per night.” 

Natasha nodded as they sat around the fountain. “Just be careful.” 

“Always.” He smiled as he bumped her shoulder with his.

“Good.” Natasha smiled as they started to pull their food out.

{----------}

That night, Clint walked into one of the bathrooms of the school. He set his stake down and splashed water onto his face. He looked into the mirror, gripped the sides of the sink, and sighed. He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them. Clint looked down and saw blood pouring out of the faucet. 

He stepped into the library, “Coulson.” He said quietly. Clint heard Coulson talk and he stopped. He could see Coulson in his office, a book in his hand, and he was tense.

“It’s clear, it’s going to happen. And it’s happening now.” Coulson said.

Bucky stepped into view. 

“Bucky?” Clint stepped closer.

“It can’t be. You have to be wrong.” Bucky almost pleaded.

“I’ve checked it against everything I can think of. It’s very real.” Coulson set the book down. 

“Then there has to be some way around it.” Bucky shook his head.

Coulson shook his head and sighed, “I know some prophecies are a bit dodgy. They’re mutable. Clint has challenged them time and time again, but this is the Codex, Bucky. There is nothing in it that does not come to pass.”

“Then you’re reading it wrong.” Bucky fisted his hands.

“I wish to God I was. But it’s very plain. Tomorrow night Clint will face Red Skull, and he will die.”

Clint’s heart lodged in his throat, and he wanted to cry and puke.

“Have you verified the text?” Bucky asked.

Coulson opened his mouth, but Clint started to laugh then. Bucky and Coulson looked over and saw Clint walk away from the door. Bucky followed him out while Coulson stood in the doorway.

“Clint.” 

Clint stopped and spun on his heels. “So that’s it, huh? I know the drill. One Slayer dies, and the next one is called.” Clint nodded. “I wonder who they’re going to be.” Clint looked at Coulson then, “Will you train them, or will they send someone else?”

“Clint.” 

“He’s gonna kill me.” Clint choked out, and he wiped tears away from his eyes. “Will it hurt?” 

Bucky stepped closer, and Clint held his hand up and shook his head.

“Don’t touch me!” Clint looked back at his Watcher. “Were you gonna tell me? Or keep it a  _ fucking _ surprise?” 

“I was hoping I wasn’t going to have to. That there would be some way around it.”

“I have a way.” Clint chuckled. “I quit.” 

“It’s not that simple, Clint.” Bucky took a step towards him. 

Clint shrugged then. “I’m making it that simple. I quit. I resign. I’m fired. Find someone else.” 

Coulson shook his head. “The signs indicate . . .”

Coulson was interrupted by a book being thrown at him.

“Read me the fucking signs!” Clint threw another book. “Tell me my future! You’re so useful here with your books and your training exercises!” 

Coulson nodded. “I don’t suppose I am.” 

Clint shook his head, and Bucky took Clint’s hands and held them to Bucky’s chest. “I know this is hard.” 

“No, you don’t. You’re never going to die.” Clint held a sob back.

“You think I want this to happen? Do you think I can stand it? We’re gonna find a way around this.” 

Clint pulled away from Bucky, and Bucky let him. 

“I already did. I quit. Pay attention, Bucky!”

“If Red Skull rises. . . “

“I don’t care.” Clint yanked the cross necklace off and threw it onto the damaged table. “I’m sixteen, Coulson. I know I have cheated death so many times, but God, I finally have a family and people I love. I don’t want to die.” Clint shook his head and walked away before they could say anything else.

{----------}

Clint sat on his bedroom balcony, looking into the forest as the breeze drifted by.

“Hey.” Tony said as he walked onto the balcony. He leaned against the railing and looked down at Clint. “You okay? You barely ate any of the pizza I bought. You love pizza.” 

Clint shrugged. “I think it’s a virus.” 

Tony nodded. “What’s on your mind?” 

“Can we go someplace?” Clint looked up.

“Umm . . . yeah.”

“Now?” 

Tony frowned. “Prom’s tomorrow. Natasha has already threatened me and Steve with death if we don’t show up. She’s probably going to threaten you if she hasn’t already.”

Clint nodded. “Never mind then.” 

“I did get you something. Come on.” Tony grabbed Clint’s arm and dragged him inside.

Clint sat on the couch as Tony went into Clint’s closet. A moment later, Tony walked out with a black suit bag. He opened it up, and Clint smiled.

It was a purple suit with a black shirt and a matching purple tie. “The woman said it’s a ‘wine purple,’” Tony shrugged, “Whatever that means. But dude, half of your closet is purple. Thought you might like it. I’m in red, Steve’s in blue, and Natasha’s in black. We’ll be the most fashionable people there, even more so than Sharon.”

Clint laughed. “Okay.” 

Tony smiled. “Good, now I’m gonna actually try to get some sleep. Sharon forced me into helping her and the audio club with prom shit.” 

“Have fun.” Clint smiled as he watched Tony leave the room. Clint looked over to his closet door and stared at the suit. 

{----------}

Clint held Tony as they sat on the couch. Tony had found the audio club dead. School had been cancelled while the police looked around. 

“They say it was rabid animals.” Tony gulped. “I knew them, not well, but I knew them. I went to the room on a weekly basis. I walked in, and it was . . . They made it theirs, Clint. They had fun killing them.” 

Clint held Tony tighter then. 

“What are we gonna do?” Tony looked over at him.

Clint nodded. “Promise me you’ll stay home tonight and get Steve and Tash here too?” 

Tony nodded. “Yeah.”

An hour later, Steve and Tasha were on the couch when Clint walked down the stairs in his suit.

“You look nice.” Natasha smiled.

“You need backup?” Steve asked.

Clint shook his head. “No. You three are gonna stay here and stay safe. Please.” 

They nodded as Clint left the house. 

{----------}

Clint walked into the room to see Coulson and Ms. Hill talking about Skull.

“I’m not involving him tonight. Clint will not face Skull.” 

“Yes I will.” He said as he stepped up to them. 

“Clint.” Coulson shook his head. 

“So, I’m looking for a kid, and they’ll lead me to Skull? Cool.” 

“No. Clint, I’m not sending you out there to die. You were right. I was with these books for far too long.”

“You’re not going up against Red Skull. I’ve made up my mind.”

“I am your Watcher. For once in your life, do as your told.” 

Clint looked at Coulson before Clint punched him. Coulson went down, and Ms Hill scrambled to help him.

Clint grabbed a few stakes and his bow and arrow from the closet. “When he wakes up, tell him I’m sorry.”

“You are going to die, Clint.”

Clint shrugged. “I’ve been dodging death for a long time. And anyways, I’m gonna take him with me.” 

Clint walked out of the school and saw a little girl waiting for him.

“Help me. . .” She started.

Clint shook his head. “It’s okay, I know who you are. Take me to him.”

The girl nodded and held out her hand.

Clint took it and followed her.

{----------}

Clint followed the girl to a large circular entryway. She let go of Clint’s hand and pointed down the entrance.

Clint nodded and watched as the girl left. He stepped forward and looked around. There were hundreds of candles burning. 

“Welcome.” He heard a voice coming from all directions.

“Thanks.” Clint looked around. 

A tall man with a red skull stepped into view. 

“Wow, your name really does you justice.” Clint smirked. “Also, call a contractor. This place needs some fixing up.” 

“Oh, lovely - the banter. Why don’t we just cut to the end?” 

Clint quickly shot Red Skull, yet Skull caught the arrow.

“Nice shot.”

“Nice reflexes.” Clint retorted.

“You’re not going to kill me with that thing.”

Clint shook his head. “Don’t be so sure. I’ve killed hundreds with this thing.” 

Skull shook his head. “You are not the hunter here. You are the lamb.” 

The two of them stared at each other. “Are we just gonna talk and stare at each other? Because if so, this is going to get boring soon.” Clint looked around. “I do have to say, I like what you’ve done with the place.” 

Clint felt air rush past him and then a hand grab his neck and squeeze.

Clint kicked him in the knee, and Skull dropped him. Clint scrambled back as Skull grabbed his leg and pulled Clint towards him.

“You tried. It was noble.” Skull got his hand around Clint’s neck again. “But see, prophecies are tricky things. They don’t tell you everything.” His voice lowered, “You’re the one that will set me free. If you hadn’t come, I would have been stuck here.”

Clint froze, “Shit.” 

He felt a sharp pain in his neck and felt like he got the wind knocked out of him. He could hear Skull drink from him, and the world started to become dizzy and black.

Clint dropped and hit his head on a stone before he fell sideways, his face in water. But he couldn’t move. Everything hurt, and soon his lungs screamed for air and the world turned black.

{----------}

Clint snapped his eyes open and gasped for air.

“Clint?” He heard Tony say.

Clint looked over and saw Tony and Bucky looking down at him.

Clint coughed and water came up. Tony patted Clint’s back as he finished coughing the water up. 

“It’s okay.” Tony smiled.

“Tony?” Clint looked around. 

“Hey there.” 

Clint started to get up, and Bucky immediately held him. “Easy.”

Clint looked around as he regained his balance. “Skull?”

“He’s free.”

Clint took a step towards the exit but staggered.

“You’re weak,” Tony said. 

Clint stood and shook his head. “No, I feel different. Stronger than ever.” He looked back at Tony and Bucky, “Let’s go.” 

“How do you know where Skull is going?” 

Clint shrugged. “I don’t know. I just do.” 

They walked towards the school, but just as they were about to walk in through the front door, a vampire stepped into view.

Clint rolled his eyes and threw a stake right at his heart. The vampire turned into ash as they walked by.

They got to the stairwell to the roof. Clint looked at them, “Stay here. Keep the rest of the vampires away from me. Bucky?” 

Bucky nodded and put on his game face. “I’m ready.” 

Clint nodded. “Good. This won’t take long.” He opened the door and then started to run up the stairs. He stepped onto the roof to see Skull there, rubbing his hands together. 

“Come forth, my child. Come into my world.”

“It’s not yours yet.” Clint made a face.

Skull turned around and froze. “You’re dead.” 

“But I’m still good looking. Which is better than I can say for you.”

“You were destined to die!” He screamed.

Clint shrugged. “Well, I’m not good with following orders.” 

“Come here.” Skull growled. “Did you really think you could win against me here when you couldn’t before?”

Clint shrugged. “I’m optimistic.” Clint smiled. He punched Skull in the face and then kicked him. 

Skull swiped at him, but Clint was able to dodge him and get behind. Clint punched him in the kidneys. Skull twisted and punched Clint in the face.

Clint hissed as another punch connected with his ribs. He fell back and hit his head on the paved roof. Clint shook his head and jumped to his feet. He leaped at Skull and landed between Skull and the skylight of the library. Clint kicked Skull in the ribs, but Skull grabbed Clint by the throat again.

“Where are your jokes now?” Skull said as he lifted Clint up. “We’ll see if you laugh when my Hell is on Earth.”

Clint shook his head and grabbed Skull by the neck. Skull released Clint and Clint was able to lift Skull up a bit. “If you’re that excited by Hell, go there!” Clint flipped Skull over him and through the skylight. Skull fell and landed on the broken table below, part of it impaling him in the chest. 

Skull slowly turned to ash until only his bones were left. The creature below retreated into the crack in the floor. 

{----------}

Clint, Tony, and Bucky walked through the library doors to see Coulson, Ms. Hill, Natasha, and Steve were okay and breathing.

“The vampires?” Coulson asked.

“Gone.” Tony said.

“Skull?” Bucky asked.

“Dead. The Hellmouth is closed. Clint?” Coulson looked over at the young Slayer, who was staring at Skull’s skeleton. “Clint?”

“Hmm?” Clint looked over. “I’m tired. It’s been a very long day.” 

“Yeah, you died!” Tony said.

Coulson shook his head and hugged Clint. “I should have known that wouldn’t stop you.” 

“I feel like we should celebrate.” Steve looked around.

“Well, there is this party at SHIELD.” Tony mentioned.

Clint chuckled, “Well, we did just save the world. I say, we party. And anyways, I got all dressed up.” 

“What about him?” Ms. Hill looked over at the skeleton.

“He’s not going anywhere.” 

Everyone else started out of the library, talking about what they were all doing while the fight happened.

Bucky hung back and grabbed Clint’s wrist. “I really like your outfit.” 

Clint smiled. “Thanks. I’m starving, by the way.” 

Bucky chuckled and wrapped his arm around Clint’s waist. The two of them followed the others out. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thankfully edited by my 'wife' Sam. she is my partner in crime and deals with my stupid love affairs and obsessions.


End file.
